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Show sidelines v by Sieve Spafford J ' t Sports Editor f v L...-.. jit ... -3 'Cats gun for third straight Big Sky title Tn dnn a mlhw athletes from takine money il- Notre Dame Basketball Coach Digger i , . , ... ...... Phelps feels that college athletes snouiu get p.uu for performing. He feels that the NCAA should pay them, above and oeyonu men iummku scholarships. Seems like a good idea on the surface, but a closer look shows that paying athletes a stipend above the table will not eliminate the payments coaches might entice them with under me lann. Phelps feels that giving athletes room, board and tuition is professional and there should be no problem with paying them too. The major problem, 1 see, is mat once usu changes hands, the person taking the money is no ''onger considered an amateur. This is not only the way it is in the NCAA, but internationally as well. Think of the repercussions n me iNn started paying its athletes. No one would be eligible to play on our international basketball teams in the Olympics, Pan Am Games, or other international competition. Amateurism in its present form leaves a lot to be desired -if you are a purist. How can amateurs like Carl Lewis and Mary Decker live in fancy houses and drive expensive cars and still be considered amateurs? That is a different story because it doesn't have anything to do with college athletics. By participating in college athletics, and by representing a college, an athlete gets his tuition, room and board paid for. Not only is he there to play sports, but he is also there to get an education. Too many times an athlete goes to college for the wrong reason -that of getting drafted and turning pro. If they only knew the percentages were against them they might realize that an education is what they really should be striving for -not a pro contract which only a small number of athletes will attain. So, when a person in Phelps' position as a coach comes forward and says that athletes should be paid money above the table, 1 am appalled. Here is a man who should know what is best for the athletes, and getting paid by the NCAA isn't it. I do agree when he says that athletes need to be able to live as comfortably as other college students. The rule that says an athlete can't work and earn any extra money should be abolished. It is outdated and onlv encourages athletes to make money by selling their complimentary tickets or fnr handouts from boosters. If Phelim wants to nav his athletes, and many of today's college football and basketball athletes feel they should be paid for playing, then 1 recom- mend they torm a league wnicn me ivi i. emu NRA ran use to draft nlavers. It would be a league where athletes can develop their talents and get naid like baseball nlavers have been doing for years on farm teams in the minor leagues. Let the NFL and NBA pay their salaries ami suppou it -not the NCAA and colleue institutions. We who are noinn to college should be striving for an education, and this should go for athletes im if there are those who would rather lake their chances with the pros, then let them. We as students shouldn't have to pay for their scholar ships if they aren t interested m getting an euuea t inn I applaud those athletes who realize the gilt they have to be able to get their education paid for and play a game they enjoy. At the same time I feel sorry for those who are only here to play the game. Siiii'osl plntln'KrK ClirisU-nso'i Andrew Veascy prepares to serve (he ball in a recent match. Vcasey takes his 18-10 record to the Big Sky Tennis Tournament this week, where he will'competc at No. 5 singles. mtH4400f V' Are You Tired Of The Same Old Thing? Cosmetology Has A FOR YOU -- Weber State College Tech. Ed. Bldg. Rm. 101 Professional Service at low prices hours: 8:30 4:30 Monday Friday for appointment call 626-6309 by Chris J. Miller Assistant Sports Editor The two-time defending champion Wildcat tennis teams attempt to make it three in a row in Big Sky action today. The Conference Championship began yesterday in Pocatello and will continue today. The Cats have gone 7-0 the last two seasons and look ready to challenge in every position. However, the Cats will not be playing at full-strength. Tony Miles, who was slated to play part of the tourney at No. 6 singles matches, severly hurt his hand Tuesday afternoon and will not be able to play. Steve McGlade will replace Miles at the No. 6 spot. And although Coach Keith Cox doesn't think the injury will affect his team's confidence, it will change things a bit. "Without Miles two things worry me. One, with all those matches in a couple of days, the tournament becomes an endurance test. We won't have any replacements: Thats the other thing. We can't have any injuries. We lose one guy to an injury and we'll be through in the team competition," said Cox. Cox feels that his team is primed and ready to play. Weber has played tough competition all year long and has good records against all the Big Sky teams they have played. Cox sees Nevada-Reno as the only team that will really push Weber, although he lists Idaho and NAU as darkhorses. NAU's top player broke his hand recently, severly hurting his team's title chances. Scheduled to play for the Cats at No. 1 singles is Jonas Ehrlin. Ehrlin is 22-6 on the year and is the defending No. 2 singles champ. Cox says there are no easy matches at No. 1. Martin Gagnon of UNR is the defending champion at No. 1 and will be trying to win it again. Ehrlin beat Gagnon last year in another tournament. Senior Rod Horton makes the jump from No. 5 singles where he won the conference title last year, (see TENNIS on page 13) (movie Classic High Noon M ay 6 & 7 M onday 7:30 pm Tuesday 3:00 & 7:30 pni $1.00 |