Show W" J?- 1’W't p'E Kip '&ij S’ JF' V I w ii ' ’' -t April 28 1996 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Sunday Comaneci Conner New WAC is far from officially married BUCHAREST Romania (AP) — TWenty years after she Jailed the world with her perfect Olympic performance on the uneven bars Nadia Comaneci says her gold medal has been replaced in her heart by a gold ring After marrying American Ban Conner in a lavish church ceremony Saturday Comaneci 34 declared: “Today the 1976 Montreal Olympics move on to second place for me" About 2000 spectators gathered in front of Bucharest's Casin monastery where seven priests blessed the union of the two gymnastic greats Conner 38 w on a gold medal for the United States at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Her snow white dress embroidered with white roses the first gymnast ever to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games had six young girl gymnasts to carry her 21 foot train Bishop Teofan an assistant to Romania's patriarch started the ceremony by placing golden cornets on the couple's heads traditional Orthodox wedding symbols for us more than anyone else did I w ish the happy couple lots of luck in their lifc"Ilicscu said After a series of victories following her dazzling performance in Montreal Comaneci withdrew from international competition in 1981 For the next eight years she kept a low profile working as a trainer and adviser for Romania's Gymnastics Federation Just one month before dictator Nicolac Ceausescu was ousted and executed in a violent revolution Comaneci fled Romania in November 1989 She emigrated to the United States with the help of Constantin Panail a Romanian expatriate living in Florida Panait reportedly sought to take advantage of her by arranging paid interviews and other media events Comaneci denies being in love with him By Andy Katz Fresno Bee It has come down to the obvious for Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson: He won't be able to please 16 athletic directors So let the special interest haggling begin when officials from each WAC school meet Saturday through Monday in Las Vegas ' “We're hoping these will be very productive meetings" said a cautious Benson who has overseen the tireless and delicate process of expanding from 10 to 16 teams before next fall The issues for the 16 athletic directors aren't rubber-stam-p proposals All will be dissected for hours At least 10 of the 16 coaches in football men's and women's basketball and volleyball are expected to attend but only football will conduct an official coaches meeting Odds are good athletic directors won't hit any sort of jackpot in solving problems It shouldn't be a surprise Invitations for the expanded WAC were handed out two years ago: when it begins in the fall there will be seven new athletic directors and presidents in the league Benson said the most divisive issues will be the baseball tournament the format for the men's and women's basketball tournaments and limiting the number of 1 teams WAC schools can play in basketball Baseball: The conference moves into three four-teadivisions next season The postseason tournament is set for six teams three division winteams Suggestions for ners and three determining these three teams include aimparing records saircs against division winners power ratings — or arbitrary Fresno State athletic director A1 Bohl said he is concerned about this issue especially since the WAC lost its automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs this year San Diego Slate athletic director Rick Bay said he wanted lo hear coaches opinions hut favors a system that looks at strength of schedule Brigham Young athletic director Rondo Fchlbcig said he is inclined to look at power ratings too m -- : Fi-- Page 19 done deal il’I Utah athletic director Chris Hill said he wants the six best teams in the tournament no matter how many aimc from one division Basketball: Benson said the start of the men's and women's basketball tournament is set — the d top two teams in each division receive Nos the first matchups byes leaving 6 and 5 After that the issue is whether to reseed lo allow the top teams a better chance to advance "I don’t sec us getting more teams in the NCAA through the ainfcrencc tournament so I'd be for reseeding to be as fair as we can" Tcxas-E- I Paso athletic director John Thompson said Fehlbcrg isn't a believer in the tournament either and said he wants to protect the top teams So too would Bohl However Bay said the seeds should stay true regardless of upsets In determining seeding athletic directors will probably discuss what to do with the crossover games in for basketball and football The fiisi-roun- 3-- l§ a 4-- See WAC on Page 2 1 -- About 150 guests watched including Comaneci's US manager Paul Zicrt who wept Leading the couple down the aisle was the president of the gov erning Social Democracy Party Adrian Naslasc and w ife Opposition politicians and independent newspapers have accused the party of exploiting the wedding before local and general elections on June 2 Local newspapers labeled the festivities “an electoral ding" wed- Top Romanian officials attended the wedding including Senate Speaker Oliviu Gherman Sports Minister Alexandra Mironov and former tennis star lire Naslasc who is running for Bucharest mayor Mims Later Saturday Romania's President Ion llicscu hosted a banquet in honor of the newlyweds in the main marble-plate- d hall of Bucharest's Cotroceni Palace “Nadia did for Romania and Irish-QR-m- vi4h & ay 2 not be able to play again Vf m w Zt ' ) i 'P'' ' ' K'u j v- te - SOUTH BEND Ind (AP) — Noire Dame reserve quarterback Thomas Krug has a rare congenital defect in his neck and may not be able lo play football again coach Lou Holtz announced Saturday The junior suffered a neck injury in last 2(15-pou- week's intrasquad Blue-Gol- d Game and subsequent revealed that two of his vertebrae arc fused together Holtz said “This is something he has had since birth It is not even where the injury was The doctors will decide within the next 10 days whether he will be able to play again or not" Holtz said ’i John lleisler Notre Dame's sports information director and assistant athletic director said there is a fusion between the firs the skull vertebrae and the base Another fusion is located between the second and third vertebras Krug w ill undergo a CAT scan Monday The fusions which cause an instability that is dangerous for an athlete in a contact sport could be deadly in a game situation said Dr Willard Ycrglcr a Notre Dame learn physician “If be has the instability and took a hit he would either be Fly on nonstop flights at lull fare and take up to three people along for just $25 per person each way based on roundtrip travel Nonstops not offered to all destinations dead or completely paralyzed similar to (actor) Christopher Reeves” Tergkt said Krag suffered his neck injury when he was hit from bchirsl by Now it's easy for the whole family to get away just buy a roundtnp ticket at our full unrestricted fare to a nonstop destination and bnng along as many as three more people for only 25 per person each way And companions pav just 50 per person each way for destinations with published direct (same planet or connecting service Purchase tickets just one day in advance and by June 12 for travel by September 5 Everyone must be present at checkin and travel on the same flights One or more nights stayover is required Full fare Customer needs to be at least 18 companions may be any age For reservations call your travel agent or Southwest Airlines 25 T3ke Along Fares The way for everyone to go defensive tackle Melvin Dansby Game in last week's Blue-Gol- d “It's not appropriate for anyone with an unstable neck to be playsport” ing a collision-typ- e added Blue-Gol- d Krag missed Saturday's Game 11 the spring finale After never starting a game Krag stepped m after Ron Pow lus broke his arm and rallied Notre Dame over Navy and Two weeks later led the Irish over Air Force He also led 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