The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-04-01
Rose Bowl Rests
But MOI In Peace
BY Lou Fabro

These are times that try mems nerves and
their ulcers. Problems of past generations certainly
can't compare to what we face today.
Just consider: we have A-bombS and H-bombS;
rockets are launched in all directions all the time; and
we have man-made hardware spinning around the
earth.
BUT THIS ISN'T ALL. Public confidence has been
shaken by "~payola'; Ohio State had a lousy football
season; and now the Big Ten has decided to end the
Rose Bowl.
The biggest calamity seems to be the death of
Big Tens Rose Bowl pact. At least that's the impress
sion gained from the acres of space devoted by the
daily papers on this particular incident.
Although it has been several weeks since the Big
Ten signed the Rose Bowls death warrant, the mourn
ing and hand-wringing seem to persist:
1t sort of makes you wonder if this isn't the first
sign that the end is near.
GETTING BACK TO THE MAIN ISSUE, isn't
there just a little bit too much fuss over a Commute
football game? Isn't the Rose Bowl just a fancy title
for another football game? And isn't the Rose Bowl
game land parade) just a commercial spectacle that
puts Pasadena, Calf, into millions of homes via tele-
vision.
We certainly aren't attacking the right of sports
writer's to criticize. They have a right to comment be-
cause of freedom of the press which is a pillar OF
democracy. In fact, we're using the same right in firing
a few arrows at these same writer's.
And it might be pointed out that because of the
loneliness of the entire question, we don't expect to
win many friends with our comments.
It's sort of ridiculous when university faculties
are berated in bitter tones because of a football game.
Big Ten profs and administrators don't have an ak to
grind as some seem to indicate.
SOME SPORTS ScRlBES USE the time-Worn argu-
ment that the vast majority of citizens want the Rose
Bowl and want the Big Ten represented in it. And a
poll confirmed this. Of course, only about LOO of
Ohio's 92 million people turned in a ballot.
But the argument goes on that the profs are
ignoring the publicS desire and thus are stamping on
the public'S toes.
Just for the record, in case anyone may have for
gotten, universities were established to provide edu-
cation and research. Anything that destroys or inn
pairs that goal, obviously must be studied and possibly
remedied. The educators felt the Rose Bowl did inter-
fere with educational processes and so out it went.
Athletic directors counterattacked with a proposal
to end all post-season activity, including the NCAA-
sponsored events. They said this would make every
thing consistent. The flaw is that NCAA events con-
tinue on from the regular season; the Rose Bowl is
some four or five weeks after the football season
closes. It's unlikely that the Big Ten will end NCAA
events.
Will the Big Ten become a ~pushover for any other
league in the country? Hardly.
DICK LARkINS, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ath-
letic director, wasn't exactly joyful because the Rose
Bowl pact was buried. He also didn't reach for the
''panic button
He said: "We'l be powerful, even without post
season football. We had some of the greatest foot
ball in the world before we entered into the Rose GoWl
agreement and there's no reason why We cent have it
now"
And he added: "Notre Dame has done all right
right without post-season football" Any arguments?