From: jwag9429@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John Wilbur Althauser)
Subject: Re: IU Gets Rematch with Congress Help?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 19:48:16 GMT

   mgm@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (michael.g.miller) writes:
>The three legistators were from the state legislators, not from the 
>society of check bouncers.  They wrote to the NCAA chairman about
>the officating. They seemed to ignore the (for this year) typical
>IU dead stretch of game. The officating hurt, but if IU had been
>able to score on even 40 percent of their first 15 possessions in
>the second half Duke would have been doomed.


Here are excerpts from Bill Benners editorial in the Indianapolis Star,
from either Sunday or Monday-

/       2 POLITICO'S FOUL CRYING REALLY SAD

My first thought was that Ted Valentin acted alone.  But say, now that you
mention it, that did look like John Clougherty leaning out of the 7th floor
window of the Minnesota School Book Depository Building.
   And didn't someone spot Tim Higgins on the grassy knoll outside the Metro-
dome, shortly befor tipoff?
   I also hear that these three have links to both Castro and the CIA, and have visited Durham, N.C.
   Now lets take a look at those Abraham Zapruder game films.  Frames 311 - 320.See Damon Bailey's head move forward, then snap back. Forward...back. Forward
...back.  It obviously was a charging call, but they called blocking.
    Conspiracy?  Whaddayou think?
    No way Duke would have shot Indiana out of the NCAA basketball tournament
without help.  This was the final act carried out in a devious plan launched 
somewhere in a dark room. 
    Somebody- maybe the TV guys, maybe the NCAA, maybe the Albuquerque chapter
of the NAACP - got to the zebras.
   And the zebras literally blew the Hoosiers away.  
   A lot of us - fools that we are- had accepted IU's loss prima facie.  They had a helluva season.  Time to move on.
   But now, thanks to the brave efforts of two Indiana state legislators, we're going to get to the bottom of this.  
   It's time to convene the Schultz Commission.

   In a letter sent last Wednesday, state reps. John Donaldson, R-Lebanon, and
Jerry Denbo, D-French Lick, have asked Dick schultz, executive director of the
NCAA, to investigate their allegation that the referees deliberately threw IU's
national semi-final game to Duke.
   They don't say it in precislely those terms, but you know how politicians tend to use 50 words when five will do.  I', just trying to cut to the heart of the matter for you.  Here are some excerps.  Judge for yourself.
   
   "In asking for an investigation, we are reflecting the sentiments of many 
people across the nation.. who have questions regarding what is perceived to be
a blatant abuse of fairness."  Denbo and Donaldson write.
   "...when the NCAA's most competent officials suddenly turn the course of a 
game with a seemingly well-orchestrated series of one-sided decisions, questionsmust be answered."
    And.
  "Obiously, there is no denying that an under-current force was at work, and it is your responsibility to determine who was responsiblee and why."
    And.
    "Neglect on your part could lead to the future decline of the prestigious
NCAA as we know it today."
    And. 
    "It is possible that Duke would have won anyway...our primary concern is 
rooted in America's love for college basketball."
    And
    "This letter echoes the feelings of the many peiple who have contacted us from various walks of life.  The common bond is dismay and fear.  They are dismayed at what they have recently witnessed, and they are fearful that a degenerative trend might be developing."
    And.
    "The real shame would be to ignore what is worn. Be willing to face facts, be bold, and prevent the negative of reoccuring."
    And finally (and Divinely):
    "Thank you for your consideration, and may God be with you."

[Mr. Benner then writes a rebutal to this and concludes]

    This notion of two sore losers crying foul to the NCAA was at first so comically absurd that it did not seem worthy of comment in a public forum.

    But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that these guys are not only not funny, but quite sad.

    Tragic, even.

    For nothing more sorrowfully illustrates the misplaced importance we give tothe games people play.

    And nothing shows how far out of touch politicians are with matters that truly have an impact on the quality of life for their constituents.

					Bill Benner

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john althauser
jwag9429@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
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