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Show Sporfstacular- - Pag 2 Thursday, November 8, 1 979 Big Sity domes give conference neme trouble? By John Peterson The Big Sky Conference may be in danger of league in the country. becoming the most With three of the eight schools playing their football games indoors now, the conference namesake is often not even seen. The Northern Arizona, University of Idaho, and Idaho State University teams all do business under steel skies. The Big Sky Conference leads the nation in teams that play indoors. . True, the National Football League has four indoor facilities, but they are divided two in each conference and, besides, there are a lot more NFL teams. But indoor facilities are shaping up as the wave of the future. Besides the three Big Sky schools, the University of Northern Iowa has a dome, East Tennessee State has one, South Dakota opened their this season, the University of Syracuse has one under construction, and several more schools are looking at the possibilities. They should look well because, like most things in life, there are good and bad sides to the question of moving a football program in out of the cold. On the plus side, of course, is the fact that spectators and players, are protected from the elements. That may not be a consideration at some sun belt institutions, but at other places it is. Like in Big Sky Country. The improved creature contorts, of course, make the games more enjoyable to spectators. That helps the bottom-lin-e figure of tickets sold, which is very imin portant collegiate athletics. Another benefit of the controlled climate is that games are always played under ideal conditions. There will never be mud or snow up to the quarterbacks belt buckle at an inside contest. Game plans dont have to mis-nam- gjdini be altered by atmospheric conditions. Purists, of course, see some of those things as a disadvantage. Bad weather, they say, is an integral part of the game. Cold autumn breezes are part of the tradition for both players and fans. Since graBS wont grow indoors, artificial surfaces must be used, and this is a problem for some. While the injury is still out on the dangers of playing on the synthetics, most coaches and players would rather be on real grass. And it has been demonstrated that abrasions and burns are much more prevalent on the artificial rugs. Players are also confused. As one said I dont know where to spit. The Minidome in Pocatello, the first covered arena, is in many ways still one of the best. Built in 1970 at a bargain-basemeprice of 2.8 million, it is the cheapest of the campus domes. The simple construction is very adequate, and the quonset-typ- e college uses the facility for an average of about 16 hours per day. It also receives extensive use by local high schools and church and civic groups. James Michener in his book Sports in America points to it as a good example of what a college can do to make sports viable, and still give the university community a useful facility. Idahos Kibbie Dome, built five years later, is of a more expensive construction type, although there is more versatility on the surface. The price tag for the Moscow dome was just under 8 million dollars, but it isnt finished yet. There are still added expenses to be added in when the locker rooms and athletic department offices are added. Most recent dome in the Big Sky is the Northern Arizona Dome-- a facility which may remain nameless because nobody can agree on what it should be called. Duos ft fforsti pi? ti e Ogden will host its ever professional tennis tournament when the first annual Olsen Chevrolet Pro Cham- termountain area. The top 16 seeded players will receive automatic entry in the tourney, which begins play Nov. pionship event comes to town Nov. 10 through 17. The tournament will feature 32 of the top mens tennis players 14. first-tim- from throughout the in nt All other players entered in the tourney will begin play on Saturday, Nov. 10, in an attempt to qualify for the 16 spots in the 4 sub-tropic- al near future. How do teams do when going indoors? Well, considering that its a road game first of all, the Weber State Wildcats have had a pretty fair report card for indoor games. The Cats have played indoors eight times since the Minidome game of 1971, and they are They have outscored their opponents 186 to 147, though. That 50 percent win ratio indoors is better than the team has enjoyed in any of the seasons since they went in out of the elements, so you could say its beneficial to the Wildcats to play under a roof. The theory will be put to a good test next year. The at each of Wildcats will play four games in domes-o- ne the conference facilities plus a cot test at Northern Iowa. It will be interesting to see whether the Wildcats keep up their affinity for the great indoors. 4-- 4. toms ftmoney main draw opposite the 16 top-seeded players. ' of the . The opening rouid matches on Nov. 10 will be staged at the Ogden Racquet and Swim Club North beginning at 9 a.m. All other tourney matches, including the The NAU facility is similar in construction to the Weber State Dee Center, with wooden beams supporting a round roof. The cost of the Flagstaff dome was 8.1 million dollars two years ago. While domes do give their teams a little advantage for home games-wh- ats a home field for if not for a home advantage? -t-hey can also put their school at a disadvantage when they have to go back outdoors. Northern Arizona, for example, only played one game on real grass this year. And a team that has been comfort all week may be practicing in in for a shock when they travel to a game that is cold, snowy, and played on a muddy field. Nevertheless, domes seem to be the wave of the future. The kind, such as Northern Iowa has, and of the ilk of the Detroit Silverdome, are relatively inexpensive to build and maintain. The regions where University of Florida, in the snow isnt a problem, recently opened a facility of that type for their basketball team. Look for others in the mens double competition, will be conducted at the Ogden Racquet and Swiln Club South from Nov. 14 through Nov. 17. First-plac- e prize money in singles is $800, with a top prize of $200 in doubles. Among the outstanding mens tennis players entered in the tourney is Salt Lake teaching pro Jim Osborne, a former U.S,-- . Davis Cup team member who is seeded No. One for the Ogden event. Also entered are Mike Nisslev, a former and pro from Ogden who is now head tennis coach at BYU. Local players entered in the Ogden tourney include Weber State senior Kevin Kempin, the reigning Big Sky conference champion in No. three singles from Salt Lake City; and Mike Benson, an Ogden native who was one of the top junior players in the intermouitain area for several years and is now. attending BYU after spending his junior year on the University of Oklahoma tennis team. , In addition to the tennis tournament, special fast serve and target tennis congests will be conducted a.mm.to on NovV n.from 9 noonvatV Olsen Chevrolet in Layton. These contests are open to all interested persons and will offer prizes for players of all ages and abilities. 12 PftiPARINC reCf! upcoming Olson Chevrolet Pro tennis toumoment are Al Johnson, Marilyn Alder, Vnima. president and . general manager of Olsen's and Wayne Wilcox. , i. |