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TJnkno1 By Matt Ward Oamacock Staff WriHr Located on Eighth Avenue and 33rd Street in New York City is one of America's most famous sports arenas. This internationally known building is Madison Square Gar den. And located on the second floor are the offices of one of the most powerful, yet least known sports personalities in America today. His name; David A. "Sonny" Werblin. Though Werblin may not hp nn thp lino i\f tKo w? ?iv !?> vi uib mild U.OII sports fans, this does not diminish the role he plays in the sport's world. For those who are unaware of Werblin's history, a brief background of achievements is necessary. First, Werblin was responsible for signing Joe Namath to the New Ynrk .Tpts fnp a then record $400,000 in 1964. At that time the American Football League was playing in the shadow of the much older and respected National Football League. Many critics of the AFL believed Werblin responsible for allowing the bidding war between the two leagues for collegiate stars to start. However, as historv has shown, the bidding war eventually led to the merger of the AFL and NFL in 1970. After spending much of his life as an agent for various superstars, Werblin was asked to be the executive director of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in 1973. Werblin was oKinflvi L..21 JJ?? viuviij icajwuaiuic iui uuiiuillg Uie Meadowlands Sports Complex out of the swamps of East Rutherford, N.J., into one of the biggest moneymaking sport complexes in the country. With his insight, Werblin was akU I.?? KT IT 1_ auic iu iiuc uic mew xum iooioail Giants and the New York Cosmos out of the city and the New York % | The professionals at J j| University of South ( I best aualitv for uour A 1/ 1/ ? | in September, >!;! $ ;>! ;j? |i will also carry the fir, I While at USC, let JeJ s | racket ball and ski w I For the Best on the rr] ? ^ | 3127 Millwood Ave. 1 256-3511 v! Suppliers to the n ae^^-sssss^rrqsfift WJL1 llldgl Nets out of Long Island over to the other side of the Hudson River. The net result of these actions has been sellout crowds for every Giants' game and an average attendance of 47,000 for every Cosmos' soccer game. Before the Cnsmns ? UIVT?U tu me Meadowlands, their average attendance was only 18,000; and this included the great Pele in the lineup. The Nets are currently playing in the Rutgers basketball gymnasium and will move into the Meadowlands Sports Complex when their arena is finished in 1979 After bringing professional sports to its greatest heights in the Garden State, Werblin resigned from his position in December 1977, to become president of Madison Square Garden Inc. The Garden brass decided Werblin is the man needed to put New York City back on the map as the sports capital of the world. Werblin believed the challenge of bringing New York back to the .forefront of the sports scene as the real reason he resigned from his position as the top man of the rMeadowlands. "After building up the Meadowlands, there was no more need for me to do anything else," Werblin said. "The challenge of being back in New York City was one I could not let slip away." mid ucuig tn ins posiuon tor only two months, Werblin began the difficult assignment of rebuilding two of Madftson Square Garden's weakest teams, the New York Rangers and Knickerbockers. Werblin also began looking for a new hockey coach for the Rangers. After seeing the Rangers flounder in the National Hockey League for the last few I t?? t-t* " - seasons, weroiin was determined to get the Rangers the kind of coach who could build them into a NHL powerhouse. L_ reff Price Tennis/Ski weL Carolina. Jeff Price has tennis & racket ball need Jeff Frice Tennis/Ski test in ski wear and acces< J Price Tennis/Ski servic n rv /vi ** ri i> tyU// /H/CU/O. Courts and on the Slop if L HfN IN Bo< tationally ranked Ganiecocl late reig: Who did Werblin get? None other than Fred Shero, the two-time Stanley Cup coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. With a competent coach for the Rangers, Werblin began the search for a new general manager of the New York Knickerbockers. It was no secret that Werblin did not especially like the present general manager of the Knicks, Eddie Donovan. So, once again Werblin looked for a man of high caliber and background. This time, Werblin wasn't as successful as with Shero, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort. Werblin came extremely close to luring Boston Celtic general manager Red Auerbach. Though Werblin's offer was lucrative, Auerbach declined and remained with the Celtics. This shows the determination which exists in Sonny Werblin. He is a man who wants the best product that money can buy, and ne is a person who will not settle for anything but quality. "Sonny doesn't care what the cost is," a Garden official said. i LARGEST STOCK! LOWEST PRICES! I LW IS AMERICA'S FINEST JEANS SINCE 1150 fnOE LEVYS Corner Lady and Assembly Sts and Seven Oaks Shopping Clr. come students to the ;$ $ always offered the | s. Now, beginning | 1 1 1 1 ?! varies,. | e all your tennis, | n i es It's & TO I 1C5 I II >zer Shopping Ctr. | r7f\o ni\At\ ? JWWU'lU t Tennis Team. |j ,V as in NY "He's the kind of guy who knows what it takes to build a winner. Just look at his record. He literally built the Meadowlands into what it is today, and he's going to do the same as president of Madison Square Garden." Behind the tough exterior is a man keenly aware of today's sports' world. "You can't kid sports fans," Werblin said. "They follow the sports scene very closely and I feel I am responsible in trying to build Madison Square Garden and its teams to the fullest potential." Werblin is aware of the difficulties in developing winning teams. But he knows the ropes of the sports world as well as Muhammad Ali knows the ropes of the boxing ring. If the past is anything to go by, then Werblin has the ability to mold the Garden into the sports center of the world. Already he is interested in getting a series of boxing matches involving the biggest names in boxing. Though the Ali-Leon Spinks rematch will I Z! S i ne ^ Bii Breakfast ser f Buffet served 1 1-9 | Sandwiches el IV I C 1 In I^vj ouiaa c P Frozen w 5,<!iffe " " or narc ? Meals Ticket Checks cashed Hours 7 a.m.-l p Downstai Happy H( Mug I Pitcher Hours 11a. 625 Main Garden be in New Orleans, Werblin is hoping the next heavy weight defense will be in Madison Square Garden. He is also interested in bringing another soccer team to the N.Y. metropolitan area to compete with the Cosmos. "Unlike other people who don't care and seem rather unconcerned, Sonny i is always looking and working to make thin era thp Koot *? mvov witj c?IU, ?1 Meadowlands official said. "He left the Meadowlands because his job had been completed. When Sonny starts something, he finishes it. "Many high, powerful people connected with the Garden thought Wprhlin urniilH foil *!?%* ? L1- * tvviuu tou &IOI UU 1115 IHCC when he took on the job as executive director of the Meadowlands," a Garden official said. "But Sonny fooled them all. After building the Meadowlands out of the swamps of Jersey, Garden officials knew he was more than capable of helping them solve their problems." i W' Big rd ved 7-1 0:30 j.m. continuously so available. tar i Yogurt rent flavors 1 ice cream s Available ? up to $ 1 0.00 a.m. 771-4455 irs Plaza sur 2-7 an* $1.80 m -1 n m - - - ? M 771-9591