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James P. Hersh Asst. Sports Editor Decisions and indecision It was probably one of the longest meetings in history in which nothing was decided, but the USC Board of Trustees met for 10 hours Wednesday before deciding not to make a decision about the head football coach and athletic director's jobs. The Board's decision to abstain from making a decision was probably its wisest decision in years. Originally the Board had announced that it would have a press conference at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, at which time it was presumed a decision was to be an nounced. However, some time during the day ap parently the Board decided that it would be impossible to make a decision, so it decided to continue Its mann until about 7 p.m., at which time it called in the press to announce that it had decided not to make a decision. So right now the situation, officially at least, is un changed from what it was in September when Paul Dietzel decided he was going to quit coaching at the end of the year. The Board's search committee is still alive, and,'according to T. Eston Marchant, Board chairman looking for eligible candidates for the coaching position. Unofficially Jim Carlen, Texas Tech's coach, and Mooney Player are the two candidates. Both were in terviewed in depth by the Board Wednesday for the coaching job. In addition, Frank McGuire was in terviewed as a prospective athletic director, meaning that Dietzel is well on his way to being completely removed from the Carolina campus. McGuire wants the athletic director's job badly; just his going before the Board proved that much. Carlen Continued on Page Eight PR8S8KTS December 9-14 "TOGETK&R" December 16-21 "N(AUSOR" December 26-28 tf9Gfl COTTO December 29 (only) "H1901 COT TOW" 94 "I.AgUsI December 30-3 1 (New Yea (Last Columbia appearani January 1-11 "H1OR990Ht (Featuring Adele I Note - Money Back Gt Player I4 optimist] BY GEORGE MORRIS Of Ihe Gamecock staff Former high school coach Mooney Player met twice Wed nesday with members of the USC Board of Trustees and left the meetings with increased optimism abopthis chances of getting the job as head football coactr at Carolina. * The first meeting was at 9 a.m. with the Intercollegiate Activities Committee, which discusses - nominations for the post before referring them to the Board. Following the first interview, Player said that he was uncertain of his chances, although he did say he believed the choice would be made between Texas Tech coach Jim Carlen and hitself. "I think I'm still in the ballpark. When I went in he was the front runner. He may still be the frontrunner," Player said. "We talked about everything under the sun. We talked about how you win and how you keep from losing. bey asked about the same questions that I have been asked before, but I felt that this was the ballgame." Player left the second meeting, however, with a great deal more optimism. He said this was chiefly because of the fact that he didn't expect to be called back by the Board for another meeting. Player gave reporters more of an idea of what was asked him in the second interview because he was not asked to keep confidentiality on all )" (i cxce4). r's) ToK" e before tour) 'oster) arantee - Mem Baves mee lc about C questions, as he was in 'the first meeting. Some of the questions asked him concerned the publicity campa&gn he has conducted for the Job, his relationship in the past with black players and how well he could work USC beats St. Joseph's Led by Tom Boswell's 26 points and 13 rebounds, Carolina's 12th ranked Gamecocks thumped St. Joseph's, 89-54, Wednesday night in Carolina Coliseum. Four double figure scorers; Boswell; Mike Dunleavy, with 15 points; Alexander English, with 14; and Jackie Gilloon, who started the game and scored 10, paced the USC attack which saw 10 different players score. USC broke a 4-4 tie after the game's first four minutes had elapsed, stumbled to a 38-19 halftime lead, then sprinted behind a 51-point second half to the 35-point margin of victory. 'Te Gamecock's next action is at home Dec. 20 against Princeton in the opening round of the Carolina Classic. That event will be televised only if it sells out 48 hours in advance. TI' L&F GL 2778 RoE If you fi that offei your mone TkGUAR e * Drafts * Live Music * Large Gamer< * Reasonable P * Courteous Sei * No Hassles bership - '1.OO tings hances with whoever will be the smtac director. He refused to say what his responses to these qunstann were, stating that he didn't wtto hurt his chances of getting &he job. Player did, however, shed som light as to who his preferen=e for the athletic director's post dhud he become coach. Although refusing to reveal who he recommended to the Board, w asked if that choice was Pank McGuire, he replied: "Coach McGuire pulled ne ot of the budhes eight or nine years ago when he took a great del of interest in me. Whatever I an now is dependent upon the fact dt he took an interest in me eight or nbn y"a ago" Earlier this week Player said this would be his last attempt at a coaching Job, here or elsewhere. "I will not coach any more f I don't get this job," he said. "'TisI is the beginning of the end of my coaching career. After this I will never have any interest in any other job. I have invested ever ything that I have ever ac complished career-wise into this one quest. It is all go or all stop for me."' He said he would not take the job 6 at a later date, nor would he work - at USC as an assistant coach. Player expressed hope that the coaching decision would be made before the night was over, a hope which became futile later that day when Board chairman T. Nston Marchant announced that no decision had been reached. T LARD ewood Drive nd a club es more for y - go there D) givege per Month