Sports NUfootball schedule loses patsy lineup A year ago, Nebraska football crit ics were feasting on a diet of cream puffs. Remember the non-conference schedule? * Baylor was supposedly bad, North ern Illinois was more like Nobody Important, Minnesota was a pack of lame-duck gophers, and Oregon Stale’s Beavers were predicted to be the worst team in college football. Never mind that every one of those teams went on to do well later in the year. Baylor was in the Cotton Bowl chase right up until the end, and Minnesota humbled Big Ten cham pion Iowa in their final regular season game. Never mind that. The Comhuskers played patsies, and the supposedly weak early schedule was considered a major factor in the team’s Iate season nose dive. Well, a year later, the Nebraska football program has left behind the embarrassment forced on them last year by their schedule bashers, which included national publications like Sports Illustrated. This season, Husker fans won’t have to put up with strains of “Play a real team!” or “Pick on somebody your own size!” from Colorado and Oklahoma. Instead, Nebraska fans can -shout back at their Big Eight rivals — with good reason. First of all, the Huskcrs have noth ing to be embarrassed about. They will kick off the season September 7 against Utah State, an alright excuse for an opener. Next is wide-open Colorado Stale, a bowl team last year that has an outstanding coach in Earl Bruce. Then comes the match-up that can earn back national respectability for 'A. ~r *—A A -1 the football program: A September 21 televised home dale against Pac Ten champion Washington, which has been on or near the top of every pre season poll. Top that off with a trip the follow ing week to Arizona State, Nebraska’s first road game of the season. Arizona Slate is not projected to contend for the Pac Ten title, but figure in Ne braska’s 2-4 lifetime record on the beaten sod of Sun Devil Stadium, and the game could be interesting. Four Western teams, and at least two major tests early for Nebraska. Not bad, by anybody’s standards. And Oklahoma? Well, if last season was full of cream puffs for Nebraska, the Soon ers have found their way to the bakery this year. Oklahoma opens with three home games, and will blow out each oppo nent, guaranteed. In order, Sooner fans will get treated to romps over weak sisters North Texas State, Utah State, and Virginia Tech. In early October, the Sooncrs play Texas in Dallas, their only real lesion the road to an October 19 showdown with Colorado in Norman. In all, Oklahoma has only three true road games all season, the finale against Nebraska included. And Colorado? Certainly you remember Buffalo coach Bill McCartney last year, stand ing in the Orange Bowl locker room claiming his team deserved a national • championship on the basis of their i -* OH, COME ON. ITS NOT GOING TO BE THAT EASY, Michael Weixel/Daily Nebraskan strong scncauic. Mac had a point then. But this year he’ll have to construct something new, because Colorado’s 1991 schedule is duller than McCartney himself. In fact, the Buffs have Baylor and Minnesota—patsies a year ago—on their list for this season. Colorado’s other two non-contcrcnce games, against Wyoming at home and at Stanford, don’t look too taxing either. That leads one to believe that Nebraska, having played the toughest non-conference schedule, may have the experience and seasoning needed to make a run at Colorado and Okla noma, no mailer whal prcscason polls arc saying. Bealing them bolh would almosl be like throwing ihc cream puffs right back in ihcir faces. Adkisson is a junior news-editorial major and a Daily Nebraskan reporter and colum nist jncaa rule-breakers may nave due process rights nationwide By John Adkisson Staff Reporter A proposed Congressional bill that would require the NCAA to use due process stems from one already in effect in Nebraska. EdTowns(D-N.Y.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives May 1 with 28 co-sponsors. The bill currently is in the Education and Labor Committee wailing approval. “This is for the accusal,” said Todd Harrison, a spokesman for Towns in Washington. “So this isan equity bill, insuring that anybody accused of any wrong-doing by the NCAA gets the due process that they are entitled.” Nebraska passed a state bill re quiring due process this spring. Ne vada is the only other state that cur rently requires due process, but Flor ida, California, Illinois, Iowa, South Carolina and Missouri arc also con sidering similar state legislation. “We looked at the Nebraska and Nevada legislations Very carefully,” said Towns. “I think what helped insure support was the fact that the NCAA was concerned about the ef fects of the bills in those two states.” Ncvada-Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian and Louisiana State basketball coach Dale Brown came to Washington last month to testify in favor of Towns’ bill. Tarkanian, whose program has been the subject of numerous investiga tions, has been the most outspoken critic of the organization, calling it a “bully.” In Nebraska, the stale bill requir ing due process took effeet this month. The first athletes protected under due process are Tony Farmer and Jose Ramos, Nebraska basketball players currently under investigation by the NCAA. University of Nebraska vice presi dent and general counsel Dick Wood said the stale law has not made much difference in the way the university has handled the Ramos and Farmer investigation. “As a slate university, we have always been required to give a stu dcnt-athlctc due process in these matters,” Wood said. “Nothing has really changed under the law.” Wood said the only difference the law has made is to require due proc ess from the NCAA, other athletic associations, and private universities across the state. One advantage under the law is to give an investigated athlete the right to a hearing. This would 'give the athlete the right to respond to any charges brought about by the NCAA. The first such hearing in Nebraska may occur as early as next week, when Ramos will testify before James O’ Hanlon, dean of the Teachers Col lege. Wood and A1 Papik, Nebraska’s assistant athletic director for compli ance and academic services, will also be present. O’Hanlon said Tuesday that Ra mos’ hearing is “tentatively” set for next week. Players to try for pros by jonn Adkisson Staff Reporter Rich King will be a Seattle SupcrSonic, and Tony Farmer wants to be a Los Angeles Laker. But the list of former Nebraska Comhuskcrs entertaining thoughts of playing professional basketball goes three deeper. Clifford Scales, Beau Reid, and Keith Moody, members of Ne braska’s 1991 NCAA Tournament team, said they plan to try out with professional teams, although none of the three were taken in last week’s NBA Draft. King became the first first-round NBA pick in Huskcr history, going to Seattle as the 14th pick overall. Farmer was not chosen, but has said he has committed to attend the Los Angeles Lakers’ tryout camp later this month. Scales said he will attend the Golden Slate Warriors’ mini-camp in Utah beginning July 17, and then go on to play in the Los Angeles Summer League, a testing ground lor lulurc pros. He said he looks forward to trying to make Golden State’s roster. “They’ve got an outstanding guard in Tim Hardaway,” Seales said. “But they need a backup, and I felt it was a good opportunity for „ . ») me. Last season, Seales played in all of Nebraska’s 33 games, aver aging ten points and three rebounds per game. He left Nebraska as the all-time steals leader, and was thir teenth on the all-time scoring list. Reid will join Seales in Utah, but hoping to make it with the Sac ramento Kings. Reid, another guard, will also play in the LA Summer League, and said he hopes the ex posure he gets there will allow him to play professionally somewhere. “I’m hoping it can attract some European scouts,” Reid said. “But goal number one is to make it with the Kings.” Reid, an academic All-Ameri can all four years at Nebraska, said See PLAYERS on 9 I ■ ....... .... I