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Show Sixers Tied for NBA’s Best Record Entering Second Half By JOE JULIANO UPISports Writer PHILADELPHIA (UPI) — Billy Cunningham took a longsip ofthe beer he was holding and smiied as he pondered the question The Philadelphia 76ers’ coach had been asked: “Did you think when you Jost (All-Star guard) Doug Collins (in December) that you'd be tied for the league's best record at the halfway mark? . “If somebody came up to me before the season began and told me that at the halfway mark we'd be 32-11 without Doug Collins I'd say, ‘I'll take it. he replied. With the season little more than To measure any team half over the Sixers are tied with the the top and in Philadelphi s Boston Celtics for both the NBA’s best Julius Erving. Playing his best basketrecord and the Atlantic Division lead ball in his fourth year with the Sixers They've won five in a row and nine of Erving is averaging more than 2% with 14 games of 30 their last 10 points per game Collinsis out with a stress fracture of points or higher his foot but the Sixers have managed to fill in the 20-point-per-gamehole his absence has formed with depth and defense according to Cunningham ‘The key is what we're getting from our bench and the effort we've been getting on defense night in and night out.’ he said. “This is the best team I've been involved with since I took over. Erving said he thought the Sixers would be battling for the lead at this point and feels they can get even bet- ler Being optimistic at the start of the season | probably would have said we'd havethe best record in the league at this point if we reached our potential,” he said. “I feel now that we're getting better every game and we're still reaching our potent. ar rv Maurice Ch ‘d in We can improve by being sistent I know I can be more that I have been We have more dept the front had It also giv than we ve ever team an ac dimension to have Henry Bibby off the bench. He can handle the ba Shoot 1t and heplays great det When Cunninghamdecidedtc pair of centers r game 7-foot Caldwe and 6-11'2 Darryl Dawkins starting lineup All-Star forwara Bobby that wehav Jones became sixth man, and he has 1s playing sup enthusiasm Jones is averaging more than 13 played the role with effectiveness and carrving the tant to te t ; but no one player is m Everyone is impor ht now Making the whole thing go is ut there are contests when he disappears such as against New York Sun day when he seored three points pulled downtwo rebounds and turned theball over eight times Super Bowl XIV: Price Tag Big, But Profit Isn‘t NEW YORK(UPI) — Thepricetag for 30 seconds of commercial time on Super Bow! XIV: $238,000. That comes to $476,000 per minute. There are 22 minutes of commercial time on the Super Bowl, which means when the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Los Angeles Rams in the Rose Bowlon Jan. 20, spon- sors will have paid CBS $10,472,000, That marksan increase overlast year, when Super BowlXIII's 30-second spots on NBC sold for $185,000 — $370,000 per minute for a total of $8.14 million. “The Super Bowl is not a money-maker for the network that carries it,"’ said Kevin O'Malley, vice pee program planning and development, for rts. O'Malley's statementis not as outrageousasit appears,particularly considering that networksare accustomed to very hefty profits. The almost$10.5 million pricetagis a gross figure Subtract the 15 percent advertising agency fee, the approximately $7 million that CBS paid the National Football League for Super Bowl broadcast rights, and the heavy production costs in order to make Super Bowla super event. That leaves a profit. but not a windfall. Just to sweetenthe pot. however,there alsois the 90-minute pregamebroadcast, which earns the network some extra cash it doesn’t haveto split with Pete Rozelle and Co. O'Malley was asked whydoit. if it isn’t a big moneymaker. He laughed. “It’s a matter of prestige.” he said. “The Super Bowlis the No. 1 sporting event in America. Weinvest 100 hours a year in NFL programing. The Super Bowlis the ultimate event. Naturally, it’s something we wantto do.” This is the year when people who know more about footballthan televisicn are joking about whatthe experts say is an uneven match. with Pittsburgh ready to turn the Ramsinto lambs. “The only way to get any excitement into this gameis having the Ayatollah Khomeini hang-glide into the Rose Bowlathalf time,” one bar room wi predicted after the Rams won their conference championship gameJan. 6. ‘'Or have the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders try bayonet practice on Howard Cosell,”’ said another. CBSis betting that the Super Bowlwill generateits own excitement. as it has in the past despite the forecasts of a one-sided game. CBSis guestimating that the game will boast an average audienceof 84 million, with approximately 102 million Americans watching at least some part of the game. “The Rams defeated Tampa Bay and the Cowboys in Dallas and they earned the right to go," O'Malley said. “But the Super Bowl probably creates its own audience.If you look at audiencelevels in the past, the fact is they were not largely affected by which teamsparticipated. The Super Bowl seemsto have a particular character of its own. “Super Bowl Sunday is almosta nationalholiday. University Mall AmanaCl arance ceeWiela from £388 | DRMOREEeam re caresyee Radarange oven. Special savings on uncrated, discontinued and floor sample microwaves. BURA REURCSNA Cr142 Viewing levels show that most of the country is watching the game. They have parties at home or schedule social events just for the purpose of watching the game.” A look at Super Bow! Nielsenstatistics bears out O’Malley’s point. The 1978 Super BowlXII from New Orleans ranks fourth in the Nielsen list of most watched showsof all time. Thatlist is headed by the final episodeof ‘‘Roots’’ and the twoparts of ‘‘Gone With The Wind.” i Super Bowl XII is the highest rated live prograrr ever presented. Super Bowl XIII is right behind XII in the Nielsenlist. The equipment the network has lined up for the gameis impressive: 31 camerasto be used in pregame,gameandpost-gamebroadcasts, including 20 at the Rose Bowl. Of those, 16 will be used for game coverage,including one in the Goodyearblimp. The gamewill be broadcast by 214 stationsin the United States, 55 CBC stations in Canada, as well as stations in 15 foreign countries, including Japan, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, as well as the United Kingdom, Mexico, Central and South American nations. That doesn’t include the sevenforeign lands in which Armed Forces Television will carry the game. The show will begin at 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, with the 90minute pregame ‘‘The Super Bowl “Today,” with commentators Brent Musburger, Jayne Kennedy, Irv Cross, Jack Whitaker and Jimmy‘The Greek’ Snyder. Lindsey Nelson will be on hand with American troops in West Germany, Paul Hornungwill be in this show andso will Curt Gowdy, Hank Stram, George Allen, John Madden, Andy Rooney and Garo Yepremian of the New Orleans Saints Forthe gameitself, Pat Summerallwill handle the playby-play, with Tom Brookshieras analyst.It will run from kickoff at 6:10 p.m., Eastern time, to between 9:30 and 10 p.m., Eastern time,according to O'Malley. The post-game wrap-upwill be followed by 60 Minutes.” SENSATIONAL OFFER OTT ALL GLASSES eaaJONE LOW PRICE SINGLE VISION oar mT 4 t= Te] ee eS S pene . 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