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Show BY RICK SORENSEN Sports Editor A recently "Sports Illustrated" publicized controversy between Jack Gardner and the Utah Stars that has all the earmarks of a classic fight for the fans. Early in the fall, Coach Gardner, a little perterbed with the addition of another major league ball team in the Salt Lake Valley, began to employ diversionary tactics in hopes of preserving the dynasty of Redskin basketball. The problem is apparent and understandable. The University has constructed at great expense probably the finest athletic complex in the Western Hemisphere and now faces the imminent reality of paying for the maintainance of its facilities. The money received from sports events in the Sports and Special Events Center also helps in funding the Department ot Atruetics programs. In addition, the Redskins would rather play to a full house than several thousand empty seats. No one wants to assume a secondary roll after reigning .as the main attraction for 50 years. Consequently, the University Department of Athletics took a dim view of the professional upstarts from Los Angeles moving to Salt Lake. The Stars moved in to the Salt Palace and before long a subdued feud had begun. Just who fired tire first shot is not known. However, the Stars wasted little time in quickly shunning the University of Utah Department of Athletics as they established a raport with Utah State and offerred to help Aggies with recruiting. Whether or not the Stars even offered a similar program to Jack Gardner is not known. But the "Fox" would realize a recruiting aid if presented, since recruiting is the backbone of the sport it's doubtful he'd turn it down. ' The whole idea of helping in recruiting revolves around the desire for talented freshmen and their desire to play basketball in college and later in the professional ranks. What better stimulus can there be for an i incoming freshman than to know a scout from a better-than-average professional team will be eyeing him throughout his collegiate career i and that he will have the opportunity to work out with that team often, getting an "in" with the management. The entire affair stemmed from the normal reactions of normal human beings who quite normally fail to view their circumstances objectively. The Stars found favor with the Salt Lake fans as they streaked into the lead of the Western Division of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and Utah's Runnin' Redskins discovered both teams can J compete comfortable in the Salt Lake Valley. I Monday evening the Varsity-Frosh basketball game drew over 6750 II fans to the Sports Complex for the preseason scrimmage. With an I attendance of that size for an intrasquad scrimmage, there will be no I problem filling tire arena for USC or the Utah Classic or any conference I There's something about college basketball that gets the spirits sttl up,(especially if we are playing Wyoming) which professional basketball I I lacks. You don't see pep clubs losing there minds at the Stars' games as fc they do at high school ball games. Then this isn't high school, but to a 1 certain extent a similar yet more realistic reaction is experienced at lski college basketball games, especially at Utah where Jack Gardner has 'm developed an explosive and competitive style of ball playing. f: Unfortunately, an unnecessary outflow of actions, reactions and fc emotions have been spent causing a rift which hopefully will not i'S'l remain. Both organizations can only complement each other. As islir'- University Athletic Director Bud Jack commented, "Salt Lake Metro-to,:' Metro-to,:' politan area is large enough to adequately support both teams. There 134 ft.M will be times when we will draw fans from the Stars to a Utah-USC . !1 game or a crucial conference game and in the same sense they will draw 1JI some fans from our games when they play one of their league i tall contenders." i Pls:; Hopefully all the misunderstandings have been resolved and possibly l bI the Stars and Redskins could get together for a little scrimmage of their |
