Wednesday, March 7, 1984
Daily Nebraskan
Pago 13
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May depend Dream . . .
Thp oeo nle who run the Unitpr!
States Football League often compare
themselves with the old American Foot
ball League. The AFL, brainchild of
Texas oil millionaires Lamar Hunt and
Dud Adams, began play in 10C0 as a
rag-tag poor cousin of the NFL. But in
10 years, the AFL forced a merger of
the NFL, ending a suicidal bidding war.
But, lest we forget, there was
another attempt to buck the NFL. And
it failed dismally. Remember the World
Football League? Born in 1974, the
WFL died in a sea no, make that an
ocean of red ink in the midpoint of
its second season in 1975.
John
Kopatzky
The first thing the USFL did right
was schedule its games in the spring.
While springtime football is a novel
idea, it does make some sense. Trying
to compete with 28 NFL teams and the
college games would be too risky. Why
not play in the spring and early sum
mer? Next, the league brought in a former
ABC sports mogul, Chet Simmons, as
their commissioner. Simmons knew all
too well that the USFL's survival depend
ed on television. He negotiated con
tracts with ABC and ESPN. The money
is a far cry from the billion-dollar prize
the NFL got, but still, the USFL televi
sion contracts provide capital for all
teams, and more importantly, it has
provided exposure.
But for any professional sports ven
ture to be a success on the tube and
hence a success, period it must
draw well in New York, Chicago, and
Los Angeles; the big three TV markets.
The USFL didn't do so well there. .
Oh, they tried. Do you think it was an
accident that Herschel Walker ended
up playing for the New Jersey Gener
als? The Generals struggled to a 6-12
record, though, and received a luke
warm reception in the Big Apple.
George Allen's Chicago Blitz, despite
being a playoff team, drew poorly in
Chicago. They found it hard to chal
lenge the 60-plus-year stranglehold
the Bears have enjoyed in the Windy
City. So what happens in the off sea
son? The Blitz head south to Arizona,
and the Arizona Wranglers move to
Chicago. The Blitz was a solid team;
Arizona was one of the worst in the
league. If a playoff team can't crack the
market in Chicago, how in the world
will a horrible team? v
While the mess brews in Chicago, the
situation has improved in New Jersey.
Donald Trump bought the Generals
and instantly stamped himself as the
George Steinbrenner of pro football.
Trump, already shelling out $1.45 mil
lion a year for Herschel Walker, lured
Brian Sipe away from the Cleveland
Browns with a multimillion-dollar
deal. He also brought in Walt Michaels,
the popular but recently fired coach of
the New York Jets to run the show.
But Trump isn't the only free spend
er. Edward DeBartolo Jr., whose
father owns the San Francisco 49ers
and who has tons of money to play
with, was awarded the Pittsburgh expans
ion franchise. He signed Dallas Cow
boys third-stringer Glenn Car an o to be
the team's quarterback, at half a mil
lion a year. That's a deal that has
raised some eyebrows, since Carano
hasn't thrown a pass in a game for
three years.
DeBartolo's next coup made a little
more sense. He got Mike Rozier for a
million a year, and from the way season-ticket
sales soared after the sign
ing, it may pay off. But DeBartolo's
team must prove itself on the field if
theyre to remain any kind of success.
Will the free-spending ways of
Trump and DeBartolo ruin the league?
Possibly. Not all the owners can afford
to shell out the. salaries these two can.
For every Herschel Walker, Mike Roz
ier, or Brian Sipe "that the USFL gets,
the NFL will up the ante in the bidding
war. Some USFL teams simply don't
have the resources that New Jersey
and Pittsburgh do, and they may be
left out in the cold.
The AFL did much the same thing in
its day. The $400,000 contract given
Joe Namath by the Jets in 1975 creat
ed a sensation and spurred talks that
ended in the 1970 merger. The folks at
the USFL are nuts if they think they
can do the same thing.
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ACACIA FRATERNITY
SPRING BLOOD DRIVE
Thursday, March 8, 1984 Regency Suite
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. ' Nebraska Union
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!
i" i i i
im DAV TO
1 f:l
MARCH 9 - Last day to drop a full semester
class with no record. -
MARCH 9- Last day to change a full semester
course to or from PassNo Pass
grading option.
MARCH 12-APRIL 13
"W" period for a full semester
course. A written grade of "W"
(Withdraw Passing) and signature
of the instructor is required.
. . (To effect a grade of "W' the
instructor must indicate the grade
of "W" on the dropadd form,
the instructor must sign the
form, the drop fee- must be
. paid at the Bursar's Office-and
the drop form "must be filed in
the Registration Office, 103 Adm.
by 5:00 p.m., April 13.
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Continued from P&e 12
"We have injuries all the time," Piatt
said. "It's going to happen, no matter
who it is."
According to Scherger, a nerve in his
throwing arm slipped out of the groove
jt's supposed to be in. Gold Sox train
ers and coaches thought the muscle
just needed stretching.
By his own choice, Scherger said he
used a pain depressor and also had
cortisone injected in his arm.
"It (the treatment) wasn't a lot of
fun," he said. "But I wanted to play. I
should have pushed more to see a
physician."
As the arm problems persisted,
Scherger's batting average and playing
time dropped. While on a road trip,
Scherger played in back-to-back games.
In the first, he was credited with two
RBIs and threw a runner out at the
plate.
Two days later he was released.
Scherger said the team labeled him
"fit to play" and then released him. A
player can't be released if he is listed as
unfity to play, he said.
But Scherger accepted his release
and said it was only "a mild surprise."
Scherger said he now knew what it
felt like to be released and see a dream
become less of a reality.
"I saw a lot of friends released and
the insensithity of it all hangs with
you," he said. "Your friends look at you
and see themselves."
For Scherger, playing in the minors
was almost like playing in the majors.
"It's just another step," he said, "the
food and bats get better in the majors
and the pitchers throw harder and the
crowds are bigger. But the game's the
same."
During his years away from Nebraska,
Scherger's loyalty remained with the
Big Red.
Scherger said he followed Nebraska
baseball, just like his teammates fol
lowed their alma maters.
"Under the Padre uniforms were a
lot of Nebraska, Oklahoma State and
Texas T-shirts," he said. "Players take
great pride in their schools."
When an opening occured in the
Nebraska coaching staff, Scherger said
he jumped, especially because he
could obtain his degree in advertising
and public relations.
Because he is only 25, Scherger said
he must gain the respect of the players.
But all new coaches must do this, he
said.
"They can respect me as a player, but
they don't have to respect me as a
coach," he said.
Scherger said his knowledge, timing
and ability to relate to his players will
help him be successful as a coach.
But in the back of his mind will
always be the dream of playing more
baseball.
"The player is still in me," he said. "My
body and mind are geared to go out
and kick it up."
But for now, Scherger admitted that
he has "put the bat down," and is
undecided about his future. His only
present goal is to graduate, he said.
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THE CROSS
cirici
THE COMMON
Lenten Services at
University Lutheran Chapel
1510 QueSt 477-3997
Wednesdays at
6:00 p.m. & 930 p.m.
5 starting March 7th
a ministry of
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Independent ctjdj can help.
If your juniorsenior check turned up
a class you meant to take but didn't
consider independent study at your
pace and place, It could help you grad
uate on time.
For informationvisit the UNL Divis
ion of Continuing Studies Independent
Study Department, 269 Nebraska Center
for Continuing Education, 33rd end
Holdrega. Take the shuttle bus from
city campus. Or call 472-1 926.
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UNL does not discriminate in its academic, admissions
or employment programs, and abides by ail federal
regulations pertaining to same.
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pesltians fors
Committee Chairs
Executive Coordinator
Executives
Publicity
Public Relations Chairman
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epplv at tha CAP Office
200 Nebraska Union
472-2454
or SCO Nebraska Eest Union
472-17C0
Unlrity Program Council Trl-eulliir City Ee
Deadline March 12
4-
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