Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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USC c< By Rick Mohn Q?m?cock Staff WHt?r r?prfni*d from Jun? 21 ls?u? Recently, speculation has arisen about the possibility of USC reaffiliating with a conference. 1 If ?*A. ixuuiui^ new uicic, miiv auv/ui iventering the ACC has surfaced periodically in Columbia for the past four years. What is new is the conference involved in the most recent gossip ? the Metro 7. There are, of course, two parties involved in the decision on whether Carolina's athletic program will re-affiliate: the Metro 7 and the university. 'USC has a very program, and they v league . . . we could . organization ana con belonging to a con fen COMPRISED OF Louisville Cincinnati, Florida State, Tulane Memphis State, Virginia Tech, anc St. Louis, the Metro 7 was formec in 1975. Conference titles are awarded in cross-country, indooi and outdoor track, swimming golf, tennis, baseball anc basketball. The league champion* in the latter two sports earr automatic bids to their respective NCAA tournaments. According t< league president Larry Albus, th< Metro 7 has come a long way in i little over four years. "We feel we have good overal strength; we sent 42 individuals t< the NCAA tournaments last year besides our team representative: in baseball and basketball," Albui said. As the league president observe< this week from his office in St Louis, the Metro 7 and Carolin, BBMHnanHMiniHHnMHDi Reprinted From June 28 issue ATLANTA ? It is not a coin cidence that since the US( Gamecocks pulled out of th< Atlantic Coast Cnnfprpnr#? ACT. in 1971, the overall performance of the school's athletic prograir has not improved. In fact, most c USC's major sports teams have suffered considerably. The cas< in point is Frank McGuire's onc< proud basketball team. While the majority of student and fans of USC athletics suppor a realignment wun a conierence nothing has been done to mak such a move possible. The reason for this situatio has been rehashed so many time that it has become commo knowledge. Athletic Director an head football coach Jim Carle does not want to get back into conference for financial reasons while McGuire desperately want in, to help his dying program. Met 3nsiderin< have much to offer each other. "USC has a very good overall athletic program, and they would add a lot to our league. At the same time, we could provide them with the organizational and competitive advantages of belonging to a conference." HOWEVER, the university must first apply for membership, then be unanimously approved by the member schools. Albus claimed the latter would be no problem ? if the fprmer occurs. "We have received no official request from South Carolina, and until we do we cannot act," he said. But I'm pretty confident we would vote to accept." good overall athletic would add a lot to our provide them with the ipetitive advantages of 9nce.' , Answers were much easier to get from the other party involved ? I Albus and his league ? than from 1 most university officials, s Head basketball coach Frank McGuire was out of town; his top , assistant, Kevin Joyce, voiced his 1 desire to enter the Metro 7. "It > would be very good for the i basketball program. Naturally, I ; can't answer for the other sports, ) but Metro 7 basketball is wellj respected. They have some very i good teams with which we could form some needed rivalries. Plus, 1 they don't play football in the 3 conference, so Coach Carlen would , not have his football program s affected." s HEAD FOOTBALL coach Carlen i was out of town on vacation and was unavailable for comment, a Associate Athletic Director John BUT NOW, just when many of the staunchest Gamecock fans ? had given up hope, the USC J Board of Trustees have decided , upon a way for Carolina's athletic J department to have their cake i and eat it too. >f 3 The Metropolitan Athletics 3 Conference, Metro-7, has offered i the Gamecocks an invitation to become its eighth member. Since 4 V. a rj ^ ~ ~ ? 4 ~ uit? men u-/ complies 111 an u? s but football, this opportunity t would allow USC to remain an if independent in football, as Carlen e wants, and also give the Gamecocks the luxury of a conference, as McGuire desires. n s While many hardliners will n argue that the only conference el tor uaronna is me Att, one must n look at this opportunity a realistically. Even though it >, makes sense for the Gamecocks 5 to be part of that prestigious league, as long as Caiien is .ro-7 issues invite j conf ere Moore would say only that ar university decision mui ultimately be made by the Board Trustees based on a recor mendation by President Holde man. The president,agreed that 1 and the board make any decisio said it was "under study," ar recommended Vice Preside William Putnam to receive tl volley balling question. Putna said that while nothing had be< done yet regarding conferen< * ii 1 around, USC will not re-enter it. Therefore, it is not only smar but it is also necessary for tl well-being of USC athletics take the first sensible offer that extended to them. IN THE METRO-7, USC wou receive revenues irom a leagi TV contract in basketball, as w< as seven annual rivals and tl chance to qualify for a nation championship through co ference post-season tou naments. It also gives the coacht especially McGuire, a helpii iiciiiu in recruiiing oiue-cri school prospects. The advantages of the 1 contracts are self explanatoi but even though the rivalri would not be so intense as the with Clemson, UNC and N State, they would be rivalrw nonetheless. Games agair *7* 1 : .J _ f A ^ i ? i r: ,: ?: _ _ _ * r lunua :>iait*, Virginia teen a Memphis State are a hell of a better than those agair "biggies" such as Hofstr Fredonia State, Wheeling a Stetson. They are also mc important because of thi bearing on the overall conferen standings. Also, USC's chances returning to post-season play ition nro moml '11W AAA JL JLA 1 iy affiliation, he was to have a st meeting with Holderman today of "and I'm sure that is one of the n- things we will discuss." r- Time is important to the issue, as le Albus pointed out. "If thej n, (Carolina) apply by, say, mid id July, we could conceivably admit nt them for the 1979-80 season." This le surprising action is possible m Decause 01 uie comerence ruie ina ;n new members need only show uj :e for the league tournament in ordei WHmBI w jjf \ nnra?^ ./<^m WS8B KHdn t . -& ': j^. r-;:; ; * /v, ,A:^.4p^- ?- .> v.. <^i>Atcc?v>e-':'v,'sy !;>'^K&. ?y..-.^.Wl^? - ' x^xvX<^*>f>:-MW:-.-. .>y-.-. V.NV I Will Carolina finally get intc the Metro- 7 wants the Game deft) and McGuire (right) havt basketball would be greatlj *t, enhanced if they were to join th( tie Metro conference. to is A YEAR AGO. Virginia Tecl and Louisville represented th< Id league in the NCAA tournament Lie while the Tigers of Memphi: 2ll State and the Seminoles o tie Florida State participated in th< al National Invitational Tour n- nament. It is much easier for a r- conference-affiliated team U make the post season playoff: than an independent 5S, Even if the Gamecocks were t( "P have a bad year, and finishe< with a sub-par record, they woul( rv have a chance to redeerr *y, themselves in a post-seasor PC JAiirnomAinJ ?/"*,? i re n it VM IVUI IIUUIVIII. v/l VV/UI OV, it w v?uu >se not have the intensity of the AC( C. version of tournament play, bu ?s, something is better than nothing. ?st nd Because television mean: lot exposure, more money mean: ist Deiier lacuiiies, rivalries meai a, more fans, and post-season pla? nd means greater opportunity foi >re glory, and the better players wil ?ir be more willing to play a ice Carolina. This is the most im portant aspect ot me Metro-7 to USC basketball prospects of especially in the light of Si< in Green, Tony Bruin, and Chuc aership i to be eligible to win a cham, pionship; no regular season games J with member teams are necessary. That fact and the ab> sence of football from Metro ' competition seem to De me leading - factors in support of affiliation, t As Albus asserted, "Today's s athletic climate is heavily in favor ; of conference affiliation." We t Carolina seek to make such a ) move? Putnam and Holderman r will begin to talk about it today. jjl^ wL y,: ^ '^.^v Britl Andrew ? GAMECOCK Q// P IA/f+iir* / u Moonaii/arf ui/rrf u/ . rr/mi? <cocks, Athletic Directors Carl en ? differing opinions. / Alexenias signing with other j schools. ! THE ONLY effect on USC's ti other sports teams would be in e scheduling. None would be ad-l verselv affected bv a move to a I s conference, although most don't f need it so badly as the basketball ? program. After all, that is the sole reason for such a move. n 3 The athletic department should s not waste any time in accepting this invitation from the Metro-7. Such an opportunity might not ) come again for a long time. If i politics gets in the way of the well 1 being of USC athletic fortunes in i this matter, it is time to start ?i- ...u? 1 ivnmui^ iv/i nwiut- will) ill I' 1 willing to work for the majority of : Gamecock fans instead of against t them It is time for McGuire, Carlen s and all others in athletics at USC ? fn Int K\/(tnnnc Ktrrt/mnc onrl nn* j vv/ ivi ^vnvo in, vjy ivo uiiu v -[ down to what they wore hired to 1 do ? win games instead of r fighting for power. I t r Brett Friedlander's column will d appear in each Wednesday issue k of The Gamecock.