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\ In one of the most insensitive actions in the history of this university, USC's Board of Trustees have called for head basketball coach Frank McGuire to step down from his coaching position and accept a public relations job. How can the Board have the indecency to hand down such a harsh decree for a man who has done so much for this school? HoW" soon people tend to forget the contributions that coach McGuire has made to this university. irfi 117 A O M?r<llIDr< ...1 -1 i -! ? - ? * ? * ii wno ifituuincj wnu miiiusi smgie-nanaecuy orougni mis university out of the depths of athletic obscurity and gave it national fame and prominence that it had never before experienced. It was McGuire who miraculously revived a once totally lackluster basketball program. In January of 1970 his team was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. This team came from the same basketball program that only a few years before had trouble making the sports section of The Gamecock. When McGuire heard about the board's decision last week, he responded with anger and obstinance. I certainly can't blame him. For nearly 40 years, he has been a coach. He had dedicated his entire life to basketball and now he is being requested to drop it all?like it was no big deal. The Board's insulting decision appears to be an effort to not allow McGuire to retire with the stylish and graceful manner in which he has customarily done things all his life. GRANTED, MANY people have become disgruntled over the lack of success that USC's basketball team has experienced in the past couple of years. But McGuire cannot be blamed totally for this. Part of the blame must hp thrown hnrlr nt RnarH if Tmctpoc themselves. For the past two years, the Board has threatened to run McGuire off. Naturally this has had an adverse effect of McGuire's recruiting efforts. You cannot blame an athlete for not attending a university when he's not sure who will be his coach. Also, USC is no longer affiliated with a conference and it is becoming increasingly difficult for an independent school to recruit "blue chip" athletes. Conference schools have much more to offer a basketball player in the way of competition and exposure. Consequently, there are presently only a handful of independent schools with highly successful oasKeiDaii programs. IN ADDITION, a coach can no longer rely totally on a simple grant-inaid to lure the top high school athletes. Recruiting is big business and unfortunately it involves big money. It is no secret that some conference schools have been able to shield their recruiting practices behind their conference's administration. Whereas an independent is all alone and very likely to get caught if it undertakes even the slightest illegal recruiting practice. In no way am I attempting to make excuses for McGuire. A man of McGuire's undeniable success needs no excuses. Let us put basketball aside for a moment and talk about McGuire the man. In the truest sense of the word, McGuire is charismatic. THE FIRST TIME I ever met McGuire, his genuine warmness and i c?i I:I.? T I > 1 u: i:/? aiucci liy iiiuuc mc icvi uivc 1 iwu khuwii 111111 mi iny inc. McGuire is a rugged individualist whose fiery Irish nature will not allow him to back down from a fight. By no means is McGuire a wishywashy person who can be manipulated like a puppet and I think the Board of Trustees are going to find this out the hard way. McGuire has a solid contract for five more years and he has every intention of fulfilling that contract. McGuire is a man of courage and determination?qualities which have made him one of the best and most respected men in the world of sports. In regard to the relationship between McGuire and his players, the j 4 1 1- u 1^..^ j 117114 nu? IJi ctcuuiu ims always uwii a niuiuai iuvc anu icspcct. wm v^iiamberlain, notorious as an "uncoachable athlete" refers to McGuire as his "favorite coach." But if I had to condense the character of coach McGuire into a single word, there is only one word that is appropriate. That word is class. Frank McGuire is pure class. FOURTEEN YEARS AGO, this university was starving for an athletic team that would bring it fame and national recognition. Frank McGuire came to the rescue. Now we (students, faculty, alumni, and friends) have a chance to return the favor. We must stand behind the man that has stood behind us for so long and not allow an ungrateful Board of Trustees to run McGuire off from a job that he so dearly loves. ^S^K^^f^^^^^BSSBaHKSSSf^B^BKKVSS^L . ' riir ^ jSpf^??P: j^^ffiJwfeJIHHi^SHHBiifMMHHiBBIffi^^MWiiiBBww '*< ?i u aMBr.;.; aMHaKHk^g^'ff y-jdlMMH Letter suppt By Brett Frladlander M M Sporta Editor In a show of support for their coach, Frank McGuire, the USC varsity basketball team has u/ritton an nnan Intfnr f a ttin r/iK/w\1'o D/\r>?>) Iff A Ji?.vv?a %*?* vpvil iVVVVI WV VII^ OV/1IVU1 O JL>VCli U U1 Trustees. It was the Board who last week voted to dismiss McGuire as head coach effective at the end of the 1979-80 basketball season. In the letter, the team cites examples of men over the age of 65 who have made meaningful contributions to society. Included are references to Depaul basketball coach Ray Meyer, who brought his team to the NCAA final four before losing to Indiana State in the National semi-finals; John Wooden, who won a national championship with his UCLA basketball team at the age of 66 and Paul "Bear" Bryant, whose Alabama football squad won a national championship last year. Hprp is thp fpvt nf that lottor To Whom It May Concern: The Board of Trustees say |L that age is the major factor flr/^UgV in why they want Coach V McGuire out. However, they A have very little knowledge about the subject of age. Some of history's most brilliant men have done mm rAmorl/oKlA tei ^ rl/ aUav AI%a I BWr louiuirvnuio nui ?\ auoi iiid ''' age off 65. Thomas Edison, V Sir Isaac Newton and Albert m m$r * Einstein, to name just a few. W , Even in sports, age is off little | J importance. Some examples I fy are Ray Mover? Depaul. I Bear Bryant?Alabama, and I ?. John Wooden?UCLA. 1 iJPij Fourteen years ago, coach 1 .. , McGuire came to South K 1 Carolina with expectations r< . of building a major program and gamina national I 'j recognition. He gave this I ?J\J| state its start in sports and pi sports education. He i!*, ^ planted the seeds 14 years ago?it has taken root and li^iMlllr, now it is ready to harvest. | Yet the Board is trying to | stop him from seeing it happen. liSf ^ ^ Forty miles on either side of Columbia are probably the L v ^< two best oiavers to ever Li come out of this state. Clark Bynum and Raymond Jones f have already shown concern about McGulre's departure. BHHHBHfi They are interested in USC || because of coach McGuire. 11 An interesting note to p coacn Mcuuires career at b USC is that after he got the Ij program going, he has never gone more than two years IB without going to a post (a^ig^ season tourney. He has also pllijpfc=. had 12 winning seasons in a SfelPliiM row at USC. HiiliiSiilii A question people should ask is: are they respected I and looked up to by their peers?Are they at the' top of - their profession? Are thev Hp &NSl ^ the elite of their profession? Interestingly enough, Frank McQuire can say yes to all mthese questions. I wonder pj mow many uhioi uvopio uan t < say they are In tne elite off sm their profession or in some m Hall of Fame. B ? The ambiguity of the - A whole situation is that men g&l who sit behind desks say Coach McGuire can't do the kj job. However, these are men | ; Ethat cannot distinguish m between a watermelon and a H . I basketball. Why not ask the players m m themselves If coach H McQuire can do the job? Eg " A They will tell you he can ana H ? | they will tell you a lot more. gi | They will tell you of his fair m 9 play and most of all of his m I loyalty. This Is a quality ?g I which seems to be lacking at H A&KIA a vM lit* PUPl lino uiiivoiony. If the Board of Trustees I Thu think that at age 65, coach m McQuire Is washed up, then I Sol Blatt is 19 years over the || hill and maybe the Board of ien Trustees will stop listening 0/f? to him. B We don't know how many 30" other people are behind 9 16" coach McQuire, but we M certainly are. signed: 14k Oofrtok Scott I Not 1M1 . . Tom Wtmbush m ! Mlchool Qoyfe ^ o^lrto Hordgos H fKovIn Duntoavy K*vtn D.rmody Par JlmQrazlano j)nrt Strickland I Jus H Mark Conr?uefl?m HMOMA - t Kenny Reynolds mHoSOiwhIi yrts McGuire The Board has stated McGuire's age is a major factor in their decision. mi _ i _ * i ? - i ne leam aiso voicea its concern over tne action because of the effect it couid have on recruiting future prospects. In the letter, two prospects were named: Clark Bynum and Raymond Jones. These youngsters, who live within 40 miles of Columbia, have expressed their concern over the situation. Over the past few years since the Board began taking action against McGuire, the Gamecocks have lost several big-name players to other schools. Syd Green, Tony Bruin and Chuck Alexenias are iust a few. The team is convinced of McGuire's ability to coach them and they have begun a public campaign to keep him. They also say his integrity and love for USC are important factors that have never been discussed in connection with this case. imkmmmmmmr mum i?? ^miiRr J ^ *h* ik Italian Chain 5 EO% nf# l 3 Days Only I rs ~ Fri - Sat, Sept 13, 14, 15 jjj ^/CT^ JLCLJL JT JL J. Serpentine Italian 14k ' 19,88 I Serpentine Italian 14k 29.88 p Serpentine Italian 14k 39.88 ri Cobra Italian 14k 27.88 gjj Bracelets, Bangles and Earrings. J| K V n/? a 7 ea fia/i 7 c 7 i* ma 7 /-ro 7 ^ ptg JIJ.11^ J. OU i. too. O X J. v^vyxv4 t l. v? 4j kland Plaza, Caqce 791-5600 || t across the Blossom St. Bridge? if