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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1984)
Pog3 8 Daily Ncbraskan Wednesday, February 1, 1034 M JUJ 77 g gun smmsjor wins, noi By Kevin Y7crnel:e Oklahoma State forward Joe Atkinson is the fourth leading scorer in the B.'3 Eight Conference, but no one notices him. The 6-8 junior is currently averasing 18.7 points a game for the 11-6 Cowboys, but Atkinson said he doesnt mind the lack of attention he's been receiv ing. The Langston, Okla. native said he is happy the team is playing well and doesnt want anything to Pro sports institutions alienate the individual, create artificial image Sitting around watching the NBA all-star game or the NFL Pro Bowl can give one the impression that athletes have it made; that being a member of a professional team is nothing more than bucks, bucks and more bucks. But research shows that these individual gladiators pay big dues for making that money; that regardless of one's prestige and visibility, athletics are nothing more than a thinly veiled total institution. A total institution is defined as "an organization that deliberately closes itself off from the outside and minimizes variation in its own internal envir- Matthew ,4j Stelly onment." While professional sports is very public in its appearance, its essence is certainly restrictive and controlled. Sociologist Irving Goffman (1981) talks about the process of "mortification," which is where individu als are methodically stripped of the clothes, adorn ments, and personal possessions people use to define themselves in everyday life. In exchange for this, they receive standard, nondescript and often ill-fitting attire for instance a uniform or a hospit tal robe. Now, let's look at professional sports, particularly football and basketball. We find uniforms being used to define the "team" that a player b a part of More profoundly, we iden tify these players with these teams and with the colors that those uniforms represent. It is no accident that the overwhelming majority of athletic uniforms contain variations of the colors red, white and blue. These colors represent the "American way" and sports is supposedly the great American pastime. And further, note how the color "black" is stigmat ized both socially and in sports listen how the Los Angeles Raiders who wear black are deemed the "bad guys" of professional football just Z3 many indi viduals still foolishly believe that a black cat brings bad luck. ' ' - In football and basketball, a player wears a number which is his identification. This is reminis cent of an individual being "mued and printed" before heading into prison. The number becomes your identity, with your standardized uniform dep ersonalizing your own individuality as a human being. Another dimension of mortification is the lack of privacy which the individual b allowed to received. Like the prison or the hospital "inmate," the athlete must shower, sleep and eat with the rest of the group; like the prisoner or hccpital inmate, the ath lete is under constant surveillance-if not by coach, team physician or another player, then by the fans or groupies who recognize him on siht. Finally, take note of the fact that total institutions mortify the spirit of the individual The institution designs exercises to break the will; people are forced to perform meaningless acts, to submit to arbitrary and unreasonable commands as well as to personal abuse (verbal or physical). Witness, for example, a little tiny man who, during the week might load box cars or work as an air traffic controller. Because he can pass a test, he becomes a professional referee, line judge and the like, and can pass permanent and unarguable judgments on athletes. Because he wears a striped shirt, his word is final happen that would change that. Atkinson and the Cowboys take on Nebraska tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. "if it was my choice things would be the same," he said. "The team b working together pretty good and hopefully things won't change." But Nebraska Coach Moe Iba b aware of Atkin son's scoring talent. He also has a reason for Atkin son's anonymity. "Joe played awfully good as a freshman and was, recognized as one of the best freshmen," Iba said. "As a sophomore he didn't get to play much and was overlooked. But thb year he's coming back." After scoring 9.4 points per game in hb initial season, Atkinson broke hb wrist during the fourth game of hb sophomore year. Nebraska forward John Matzke, who Iba said will cover Atkinson tonight, said he remembers Atkin son. Matzke said that under Iba's substitution sys tem, he, along with Ronnie Smith and James Moore will try to hold Atkinson in check. "I think he's going to try to play inside and 111 have to work on my post defense," Matzke said. "But I hope we can shut him down." Because Oklahoma State lost three starters and almost 50 points a game in scoring from last year's 24-7 team, Atkinson said he has tried to pick up the "I Ve been playing pretty well lately," he said, "and we're working well together as a team on offense. One of the reasons for the Cowboys' rejuvenated . offense has been the insertion of 6-10 freshman center shawn Baker into the lineup. The lineup change means Atkinson doesnt have to play center and guard opposing players who might be as much as six inches taller. . Atkinson said he doesn't mind the lineup change. "Now I can play with my face to the basket instead of my back to it," he said. "Thb gives me a little more freedom to play my game." Atkinson said he enjoys the Cowboys' role as an upstart team. "People were picking us to place seventh in the conference," he said. "But I always say it's not where you start off, but where you finbh." But playing Nebraska in Lincoln will not be easy, Atkinson said, because Nebraska will be hungry for a victory after suffering three consecutive confer ence losses. "We're going to have to come into the game and not let the crowd bother us," he said. "We're going to have to take them out of the game." "I don't have to score my average for us to win," he said. "I just want to play welL" Big Eight BIG EIGHT STANDINGS Kansas State 0 4 .000 8 9 .471 Conference All Games Tonight's games W L Pet. W L Pet Oilahcna Ct. at Nebraska Kansas 4 1 .800 12 5 .703 Colorado at Missouri Oklahoma 3 1 .750 16 3 .842 Iowa St. at Kansas State Oklahoma St. 3 1 .750 11 6 .647 Mbsouri 2 2 .500 13 6 .6S4 Saturday's games Iowa State 2 2 .500 12 5 .706 Nebraska ct Kansas fc Colorado 2 3 .400 11 7 .611 . Mbsouri at Oklahoma Nebras2 1 3 .233 11 6 47 Oklahoma at Iowa State flee Scoreboard 3) lien's Easixttall Harper Eight (2.6) 63. Heppner III (3.6) 33 Abel Eight (3.3) 54, Cather Eleven (3.0) 51 Abel Nine (4.0) 47, Burr Three West (4.0) 42 Cather Eight (3.7) 43, Schramm Four (2.7) 18 Harper Five (3.0) 43, Abel Four (3.0) 23 Burr Two West (4.2) 55, Schramm II (3.5) 24 A'aiV4V? f 1-"--T l-vf Cather Twelve (3.6) 39. Harper Five (3.8) 52 Selleck 8300 (4.7) 60, Burr One East (4.2) 32 Schramm Two (3.2) 47, Abel Eight (3.0) 45 Cather Nine (4.0) 0, Schramm Four (3.5) 24 Harper Seven (3.5) 63, Selleck 82C0 (3.2) 43 Schramm Six (3.7) 43, Abel Six (4.0) 40 Selleck 7200 (2.6) 51. Schramm Eight (3.3) 41 Cather Thirteen (3.2) S3, Abe! Ten (3.6) 23 Burr One West (3.0) 45, Abel Ten (3.6) 23 Selleck 8100 (3.6) 50, Abel Three (4.0) 42 Abel Two (3.2) 43, Abel Eight (3.2) 1 3 Cather Three (3.2) 37, Abel Nine (3.2) 13 Gather Eteven (3.5) 23, Cather Six (2.2) 23 Harper Three (3.2) 27, Cather Seven (3.2) 25 Basketball (3.7) 53. Selleck 6200 (3.5) 22 Hssers (4.2) 47, Burr One West (4.2) 18 Four Jerks and a Squirtr (3.3) 61, Harper Seven L (3.4) 33 Game Cocks (3.2) 42, Burr Two West (3.5) 30 Old Style (3.0) 43, Abel Eight (3.2) 43 Selleck 8100 (4.0) 47. Harper Five (3.5) 34 Volunteers (3.2) 43, Arkatorture (3.2) 40 Wardogs (3.6) 30, DMI Hooligans (2.0) 23 Airballers def. Baker St. Irregulars by forfeit High Rizers (3.2) 58. Hoyas (3.5) 43 Wildlifers (3.0) 41, BBB-Bones (1.7) 34 Wocen's Ejsixtbsll Smith Seven (3.2) 43, Sandoz FiveRisky Business (3.7) 12 Smith Ten (4.2) 43. Smith Six (4.0) 13 Sandcz Six (3.5) 31, Pound Eight (3.7) 23 Animals (4.0) 32, Abel Ten (4.2) 2 Gators (4.2) 24, Hooper Peepers (4.2) 18 NPI Grads (3.7) 44, Hurtin' Units (4.C) 34 Ilea's Indoor Cacccr Gunners (3.8) 4, Theta Xi (3.4) 1 Phi Kappa Psi (3.8) 6, Fightin Iguanas (3.8) 2 Co-necVclIejball Spiker's Six (3.7) def. Legal Eagles (4.0) 15-10, 8-15, 15-10 Cather NinePound Nine def. Sigma Nu by forfeit Chemistry (4.0) def. Furman's Palace (4.3) 15-8, 15-7 The Quotation Marks (3.2) def. Wildllfsrs (3.2) 15-13, 15-9 Sandoz SixAbel Eleven (3.5) def. Ex-lsiand3rs (3.5) 15-8. 15-7 Burr East and West (4.0) def. Guppies (4.0) 6-15, 15-10, 15-13 Drillers (3.7) dsf. Easy Nights (2.7) 15-9, 15-10 Leftovers (4.0) dsf. Beta Sigs Plus (4.0) 15-1, 15-7 King's Kids (3.7) def. Abel Ten (2.5) 15-6, 15-4 22 Tops (4.0) def. Harper SixSmith Six (4.C) 15-13. 15-3 SlugsStuggsttes (3.7) dsf. Nsihardt Stiff (4.C) 15-9, 10-15, 15-4 Beta Sigma Psi Buckhorns (4.2) dsf. Legal Eagles II (3.2) 18-14, 15-4 Wreck Crew (2.3) daf. Odia's Ravenga (4.0) 11-15, 15-4, 15-5 Husker Hamms (3.5) def. Dirty Digjsrs (3.5) 15-2, 15-9 Theta XiSandoz Nine (3.2) def. Hmcrsn V-Csra (2.7) 15-12,15-5 Men's high game Gene Kottwitz Team 1 1 22, Terry Tucker Bombers 131 Men's high series Jim Steward, Bser Framers ESS Women's high game Ann Kempschneldsr, Team 1 170 Women's high series Kempschneidar, 423 lizzie? mit KiroLa Heelers MK81iSiii9Ahc?iam"" John Bruckner- Pinsplitters 233, Jim Mit Women's high game Jan Pollard, Pinsplitters 1 84 llcsday laLt Pin Pesndera Men's high game Jake Moore, Strikeouts 235 Men's high series Moore 554 Women's high game Trina Pekas, Strikeouts 153. Deb Scholz. Guttar Balls 158 Women's high series Pekas, 429 There b a Sports Club Council meeting; tonight at 5:15 p.m. at the-Campus Recreation dr2ce,i740 Vine St Guests are welcome. -