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The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • 28

Location:
Cincinnati, Ohio
Issue Date:
Page:
28
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

C-8 THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Sunday, December 21, 1975 Tin ay Callahan Recalls Days At UC Without Rancor IMAGINE THE distress inside: "We're starting three in the offensive line Jeff Sevy, Dan Peiff-er and Noah Jackson and I'd say they've improved 50, 60 since the start of the season. "IT'S BEEN a real pleasure coaching these young men and a treat watching them improve each week." If there are scars from the shocking experience at Cincinnati, Callahan disguises them well. "I'm disappointed, but not bitter," says Callahan, reflecting on his four years at Cincy where his teams went 20-won, 23-lost." Gentleman Ray never bad-mouthed anybody, anywhere, in football or in the stands, and still chooses to walk in that record. "HECK, THAT'S something in the past and I'd rather not talk about it," says Callahan of that last, disastrous 1972 season. It began with the discipline, all these things were being torn down by things that were happening behind the back," says Callahan.

"In these things, the administration has to be behind you 100. say, can't we talk about something else? I still have a lot of friends on the campus, in the city. They're good people." Did in his experience he detect healthy future for the football program at the university? "At times, you'd feel you're fighting a losing battle," says Callahan. "I think any big university caught in the middle has lots of money problems. It's been that way for five, six years and getting worse." An early disciple of Paul (Bear) Bryant, for whom he played in his undergraduate days at University of Kentucky (and later assisted), and an aid to offensive minded Homer Rice, Callahan early had dedicated himself to football.

football. "FOREVER," says Ray Callahan. "There's no way I'd return to college football. No way. Well, maybe if it was the last thing on earth." Nice-guy Ray Callahan never walked away from football, however, and in spite of some disappointments as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts and an unbelievable adventure in the late World.

Football League is alive and well in the National Football League these days, teaching the Chicago Bears' offensive line. According to 'the word spilling about the league, the Bear towards are the NFL's most improved this season. "We haven't won as many as we set out to," says Callahan of the Bears who are restructuring away from the George Halas image under imaginative Jack Pardee. "We've got 16 rookies on the roster and 12 of those are starting. such promise, then blew skyhigh when heavily favored Colorado, played reasonably even by the Bearcats for three quarters, exploded 28 points in the last period to win in a rout.

That began a series of second-guessing by at least one staffer, whose one-sided debates carried in front of the players. Eventually chaos. "It's hindsight now, but if I encountered that situation I'd fire him, maybe one other," says Callahan. "Otherwise, I'd make the same decisions. Hey, let's talk about something else.

I like to look for all the good things." Only once in the conversation did Callahan even remotely suggest that greater co-operation from the administration in his day might have salvaged a football program he now believes is facing "extremely difficult days." "ALL THE things you try to do. By BILL FORD Enquirer Sports Reporter "If I encountered the same problem," Ray Callahan was saying into the telephone, "I'd make the same decisions, except I'd fire one, maybe two assistants." The voice was firm, confident and resolute, in bold contrast to the almost inaudible tones which once emanated from a chair behind the dek in the office of the head football coach at University of Cincinnati three years and a month ago. JThiU, voice, too, belonged to Ray Callahan. It was sad, melancholy, atjrnost at the breaking point. i Betrayed by one staff assistant wfio somehow succeeded in turning aiyoung impressionable team into utter confusion, its future uncertain, a disillusioned Ray Callahan, farewell and good luck to the and walked out of college when he decided to give it up! I was hours away from a start in a business career when Howard Schnellenberger called and asked if I'd like to join him at says Callahan.

"I said I coach-ed the defense, except the ary." That lasted a year and then he joined Pardee in forming a team in the WFL. From September. of 1974 through the rest of the season, he was not paid and lost by his esti-' mate about $7000 in salary. "How did we live?" Callahan re- peated the question. "Well, fortu-; nately, I had a little money left from the sale of the house in Baltimore.

But I loved every minute of it. It's 1 football. Quite an experience. Like here in Chicago with these young-players. What an experience.

I'm lovin' evey minute of it." Open Invasion Of Hawaii Via Pepperdine Bearcats Take On The Real World Now By BILL FORD Enquirer Sports Reporter Having lived in semi-retirement since the start of the season (sorry about that, Biscayne, Wright State, St. Joe's et al), the Bearcats of Cincinnati this week learn what the real world of college basketball is like. The nationally ranked Bearcats take their seven-game unbeaten streak on the road for the first time, playing Pepperdine on Tuesday night at Malibu, before the exotic tour of Hawaii and the Rainbow Classic. Cincinnati coach Gale Catlett insists Pepperdine "is a pretty tough team." Before the Bearcats reach that campus, the Waves will have met this season such things called Hasting, Doane, Southern Humboldt, North Arizona, Mt. Marty (yes, Virginia, Mt.

Marty, Yankton, S. D. Enrollment: 600) and Portland. Entering Saturday night's affair with Portland, Pep was 6-0 for the winter that swelled a two-season victory streak to 10. PEP ISN'T entirely unfamiliar to the Bearcats who ran up 107 points in a victory here last year.

If that doesn't mean in preseason scuttlebutt was considered among the top 15, i college teams in the country. Swell, until the Wildcats ran into Idaho, Kansas State and Nevada-Las, Vegas for three straight losses. i Catlett thinks so much of the Arizona skills he drove Saturday Illinois where the Wildcats met the Big Ten team. The Bearcats are bracketed with, Holy Cross and Iowa. Southern California-St.

Peter's (N.J) and Yale-Hawaii are in the other brack- et. The tourney opens Friday night, but Cincinnati isn't scheduled to i play until 2:15 a.m. December 28-(EST). The championship will be i decided December 30. Dick Skophammer and Marcos Leite come to the fore in a hurry.

Skophammer scored 22 on the Cincys in that game and Leite added 16. Leite is an international celebrity of sorts. He played on Brazil's Olympic team in 1972, desired to learn basketball the American way and after mail correspondence enrolled at Pep. Leite, who stretches 6 foot 10, is a junior academically, and intends to rejoin the Brazilian team for next year's Games. THE RAINBOW Classic promises adventuresome competition.

The Bearcats drew Arizona as a first-round foe. Ay IJJf I fey ffsd Somewhere Sun Shines ond bowl appearance in the three years Majors has been in charge of returning Pittsburgh football to its former glory. Pitt star running back Tony Dorsett last March was fined $1145 for failure to pay 99 parking tickets. Then in October, two players were arrested on charges of impersonat ing police officers and terrorizing homosexuals. TOUGH STEEL-BELTED WHITEWALLS TO FIT YOUR CAR AT A PRICE TO FIT YOUR POCKET.

The public reaction to Dorsett was mostly one of amusement. And the charges against the two were PITTSBURGH (UPI) There was a cloud on the horizon when the Pittsburgh football team left Saturday for Friday's Sun Bowl date with Kansas at El Paso, Tex. Two starters and a reserve faced possible grand jury indictment upon their return on charges of aggravated assault. Two younger players not on the traveling squad also were awaiting grand jury action on charges they broke into an automobile and illegally billed longdistance telephone calls to another student. Coach Johnny Majors did not take any disciplinary action or make any public statement against any of the players, saying the American system of justice demands they be adjudged innocent until found guilty.

But the furor and media attention the cases attracted left the usually Majors tight-lipped. The problems took the spotlight from the rest of the team, making its sec dropped at a preliminary hearing for lack of evidence. Tag Football Champs ifeadowhrk, Globies Here Ray Prus Sons won the Sunday division championship by defeating (25H3EF COMIC Meadowlark Lemon, above, and the famed Harlem will be in Riverfront Coliseum Tuesday, December 30, for a 7:30 p.m. gtrme with tickets available at the Coliseum box office or Ticketron outlets. TZiXp Trotters are working on their nine millionth travel mile and have played before some 80 million persons.

Yesterday's Saloon, 22-14, and Bar leycorn's edged Don's Plaza Lounge 8-6, for the Wednesday Division v. crown in Cincinnati Recreation Commission tag football this sea Uearcats, Too son. Bow Buckeyes Missed Steve Grote points a game through the final State wouldn't guarantee allowing State, and the struggling Buckeye RVBILL ANZER eight Big Ten Conference battles to spark the Wolverines to seven wins and a NCAA tournament berth. "This year I'm more relaxed and basketball team could instead be a contender, if a couple of things hadn't happened. A few recruiting seasons ago, there was a standout football player at Upper Sandusky High in Ohio by the name of Scott May.

He also played a little basketball, but Ohio II lit fi ii if lO If SbaS2 111 jf IJEV- -P0Jvester Ljfrjuirer Sports Reporter HanN ARBOR, is difficult to improve on an 11-0 record, ar.ftp. 1 ranking and an impending ri4onal college football championship. But Woody Hayes might have tijgq an even better year at Ohio have better speed, explained Steve. "I believe I'll have a better start this year because I've got more confi dence." "I've cut down on my eating and my weight is around 190, says the 6 2 guard. "I cut down on my beer.

That helped, too. I seldom drink Of anything any more." However, he will drink a toast if the Wolverines can win the Big Ten Conference. CHRISMS SUGGESTIONS An exhausting five-game Big Ten schedule within nine days in January is the key for Michigan success, views Grote. "I'd like for us to do well for from STRAUS Calabash Pipes A78X13 PLUS OLD TIRE. 'XI to J) J) Block Meerschaum Pipes Enjoy the security of a smooth, safe ride with tires built to last 35,000 miles.

Constructed of two steel belts and two polyester cord plies. 'Plus FET of $1.89 to $3.30. Other sizes available: 3Se jpv E78X14, F78X14 PLUS OLD TIRE him to play both for the Buckeyes. He is now an All-America basket-baller at Indiana, which brings us to Cincinnati's Steve Grote. An all-stater on Elder High's basketball titlists two years ago, Grote also was an accomplished linebacker in football.

He encountered the same problem as Scott May in talking with Ohio State people and is now a starting guard on Michigan's basketball team. BUT HE still wonders aloud if he could cut down the slippery superstar, Archie Griffin of Ohio State, on the gridiron from his former linebacker position. These thoughts and many others he recalled during the University of Michigan's invitational basketball tournament this past weekend. "I believe that my decision to go out of town to school to Michigan has helped me mature immensely," says the curly-haired Steve. "I've never had any regrets about my choice." Of his choice not to play before local audiences at University of Cincinnati after a super career at Elder, Steve recalled: "At first I couldn't figure out why they were not interested in me.

I always liked to play at the Armory-Field House. I believe they didn't think I could play.guard. "It's been so many years ago I can't really remember just what happened. Except it was after an all-star game in Dayton that I received a call from some one from Cincinnati about playing there." "I DON'T remember if it was coach (Gale) Catlett or not. I'm not sure.

It may have been someone else. "But I do recall that I told them I had a commitment to Michigan. I might have been persuaded to go to UC, if I hadn't already told Michigan I was going there." Grote, a hard nosed Junior guard on the Wolverines basketball team since his freshman year, still has fantasies about chopping down the likes of Griffin. "Yeah, every time I see an Ohio State game I miss football," admitted Steve. "I just can't see how some of those players can miss tackles.

"Especially tackling Griffin. I guess he must be as super as they say. I'll never get the chance to see if I could handle him. I made my decision for basketball. I have no regrets." Steve, the dominant guard and quarterback of the Michigan basketball team, has been relatively slow starting in his point contributions during his career, preferring to assist the other players to the basket.

"I'VE THOUGHT a lot about why I can't get going early in the season," said Steve. "I believe I just plain try too hard." Last year Grote, after a sluggish beginning, averaged better than 16 PLUS OLD TIRE 45h PLUS OLD TIRE SPECIAL FROM GARCIA VEGA coach Johnny Orr," explained Steve. "Because he is such a great man. "Some people have been demanding he be fired, yet he's almost reached the point of becoming Michigan's winningest basketball coach. I can't figure out some people's thinking." Gray Calls Foul Over Intrusion By TV Network MONTGOMERY, Ala (AP) To accommodate television, the clock was gerrymandered during the Blue-Gray football game.

And along with bitter cold weather, it put a chill on the North's dramatic last-minute comeback victory. "They have a right to be disappointed," said a Blue-Gray football official on the sidelines Friday night as the South squad cried foul-not against the North but against Mizlou Television Network, Inc. North quarterback Steve Myer of New Mexico connected with Stanford's Bill Singler for a 51-yard touchdown pass with only 31 seconds remaining to give the Blue a 14-13 victory. But as an estimated 10,000 fans braved freezing weather to watch the last-minute dramatics, it was the behind-the-scenes plays by the television network which frustrated the South. AT THE request of Mizlou, the first quarter was only 12 minutes long instead of the customary 15 minutes.

A similar three-minute cut had been planned for the third quarter, but it was abandoned when it appeared the game would end ahead of schedule. And in the final period, with the South leading. 13-7, the Gray players shouted that a "slow clock" was giving the North a comeback chance. Disgusted South players did not hide their feelings, but North and South coaches and Mizlou executives Vic Piano and Claude Piano gave no comment about the curibus clock. $70 English Corona FREE $2.50 Bottle English Leather After Shave Lotion With This Purchase Granadas Romeros I FREE $1.49 Lighter With This Purchase Box of 30 Limited Warranty: replacement within 90 days is unconditional.

Tread warranted against wearout for miles specified. Replacement in exchange for old tire and a pro-rate amount based on mileage run on tire and its current selling price. Optional tire services at extra charge: Valves-99c each. Dynamic wheel Dynamic and static spin wheel Mounting, installation, rotation and repair at no additional charge. Shillito's Auto Centers are open Sunday for your convenience: Downtown Garage store open 11 a.m.

to 5 p.m., Tri-County, Kenwood and Winton Road open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Downtown Garage store open weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday 7:30 a.m.

to 9 p.m., and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 16 OZ. 8 02. 8tmUS Pipe Tobacco $3C5 $550 aromatic plain bourbon Complete Selection of Pipe Racks, Pouches, Humidors, Ashtrays Stock V.

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Pages Available:
4,580,058
Years Available:
1841-2024