The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • 45

I 1 I fj If 1J I i i 1 7- -r Battle For Title 3 1 I i wi 'l 1 1 By Associated Press America's heartland rumbles with college football excitement on this Thanksgiving Day as Big Eight strong boys Nebraska and Oklahoma put up their dukes to see who's king of the hill. Turkey dinners will hit the table early in Lincoln, as 76,000 fans share the Big Eight Conference showdown with a national television audience. Fifth-ranked Nebraska is an eightrpdnt favorite over the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners with both teams already engaged for New Year's bowl action. The Cornhuskers are heading to Miami's Orange Bowl lor the third straight year, meeting Notre Dame on January 1 a few hours after Oklahoma takes on Perm State in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans.

jT" il November 23, 1972 1-D But for the moment, there's a moratorium on bowl talk as the Big Eight which claims to be the nation's toughest league sees who's the toughest in the neighborhood. Second billing on the Thanksgiving football menu goes to the Texas-Texas game at Austin with the seventh-ranked Longhorns, 8-1, heading to the Cotton Bowl against No. 2 Alabama. The elongated footba wVJ weekend also features a Rose Bowl-Big Ten fhoo-tout Saturday with No. 3 Michigan favored by W2 points against Ohio State.

Also on Saturday, No. 8 and Astro Bluebonnet Bowl-bound LSU Is a 7V2-podnt choice against Florida, Sun Bowl team Texas Tech is picked by IV2 against sputtering Arkansas and Fiesta Bowl-bound Missouri, ranked 16th, is favored by 13 against Kansas. Nebraska has whipped -Oklahoma two straight times with the Big Eight crown at stake and, in both 1970 and 1971, went-on to win the national, championship. Last year's matchup was a thriller, with quarterback Jerry Tagge marching Ne-, braska 74 yards for the deciding score late in a 35-31 game. Oklahoma, 8-1, is also looking for Heisman Trophy ammunition for dazzling runner Greg Pruitt while the Cornhuskers do the same for pass-catching, kick-returning Johnny Rodgers.

Nebraska has twice been stunned, losing the season opener to L'CLA and being tied two weeks ago by Iowa State. Still, coach Bob Devaney says, "Oklahoma is the best we've faced." VI Nl r-Tr 111 in. 1 il Local Boys Bow Out Today At Xavier twin brother, offensive tackle Jim THERE WILL BE nine seniors, from the Cincinnati area dressing for a final football game for Xavier at noon today against the Quantico Marines. They are, top left, defensive tackle Ed Judge and below Wm bis both of Loveland; top, left centar, wide Elder, and quarterback Paul Smith, Purceii; receiver Kim Knoppe, and below him, off en- top night, offensive tackle Tom Dunlap, Deer sive guard Gil Hyiand, both of Elder; top Park, and bottom right, tight end Ben right, center, linebacker 'Bob Goodhart, Ballard, Woodward. On Xavier Beachhead Today urines Make Fina Landing sky-high for this one?" he asked, more for his own benefit than that of his listener.

"When you play college ball you always remember your last game more than any other. That's the approach we're going have to take with our club. Try to impress upon our seniors that this is it; suddenly it's all over after this one. 'TH tell you, it's a traumatic experience really," he continued. "And you never know how a boy a i 0 i going to react to it.

If you're lucky it will inspire him to go out and play a great game his best game and, thus, motivate his team-mates, the underclassmen." Cecchini, whose Musketeers own a 3-7 record to take against Quantico's 7-4, claims the Marines will be tough enough to handle without the pride and emotional factors of this final gridiron combat. "It's a typical Marine team," he said. "They're big, strong and, as expect-. ed, in fine physical condition. Offensively, they have an exceptional runner, Bobby Joe Easter and heavyweight title match.

"I don't think he can beat him." All 6at quietly, holding an ice pack to the swelling left side of his face as, he 1 i to Foster's comments during a post- Despite explosive offenses on each side at Lincoln, the Sooners brag that they've allowed only 45 points all year Including 20 in their loss to Gator Bowl-bound Colorado. And, the Huskers have been dented for Just 74 In 10 starts. The remainder of the Thanksgiving schedule has Weber State at offense-minded Utah State and the Quantico Marines playing at Xavier of Ohio. Cowboys, Lions Good Bets Today By BRUCE LOWITT NEW YORK (AP) Can Joe Namath pierce Detroit's staunch pass -defense? Can Greg Landry take advantage of the New York Jeits' porous pass defense? Can New York's of--fense stay in high gear against the Lions without a healthy Emerson Boozer? Can Dallas' Doomsday Defense shut down Steve Spurrier or John San Francisco's sec ondary handle the Cow-' boys' wealth of pass receiv-. ers? Can Calvin Hill run roughshod over the 49ers? The answers on this Thanksgiving Day of Na-" tional Football League ac-- tion are: no, yes, no, yes, 4 no.

mavbe. In other words, your peerless pigskin prognosticate coming off a 10-3 mark that put the 10-week record at 80-46-4 for a percentage, sees the Jets', all but dropping out of the'. playoff picture while the Lions keep their snn hrnnps nllvp an1 thA-' Cowboys keep the pressure on Washington while the 49ers tumble cut of first-place tie. To be more specific: Detroit 24, New York 20: It's bad enough having to play with Just three deys' rest but that's no ex-; cuse for the Jets. The Lions are going into' Thursday's game with the acinic; oinuuiit vi picpcuu- tion time.

But when you've Deen as oaaiy Dangea up as New York was last Sun-j i 1 1 1 I Judge, Moeller; below they like to run the baliL They have a couple of wide receivers (twin 158-pounders Pat Holder and Frank Smith) who 'aren't very big, -but they're And their defense is quick." Easter, a 190-p 0 has averaged 4.6 yards on 92 carries, while Holder has averaged 10 yards on 23 receptions. The Marine quarterback, 180-pound Mike Jay, throws well enough when he has to, but has proven mistake-prone with 13 interceptions this season. fight conference. Then he repeated what he's been saying since losing a 15 round decision 20 months ago in the biggest money event in boxing history: "I want Frazier. I don't want the division to die poor Met batting attack, and many observers feel that with a few more runs, Matlack might have matched Tom Seaver's 20-t'ame season.

"Consistency is the name, of the game," Matlack said in his Katonah, N. home after learning that the Baseball Writers Association of America, committee of 24 had given him first place on 19 ballots. "I'm pleased, of course," Matlack said. "Early In the season, when I was 5-0, I i 39 Despite 7 Knockdowns By All Foster Still Picks Frazier him, linebacker Eon Martin, There will be "mixed emotions" for one family attending the game today. Second Lt.

Thomas P. O'Brien, a linebacker with the Marines, is the son of Thomas P. O'Brien Sr. Ka-bpom; Tom Sr. is chairman of Athletic Board.

Probable starting offensive lineups: No. Wqt Xavier Pes. Quantico Wqt. No. SB IV5 76 235 66 223 59 213 63 240 74 210 81 213 12 187 24 190 22 183 30 192 Knopp SE W.

Williams 197 89 J. Judgt Chinchar Pric Hyiand Dunlap Pfeiffer Dvto Chiodl Raqon Pickard Inqrum Brtsche Hartmen Sizemore S.Williams Deqatl 215 71 61 220 51 225 62 235 79 200 84 180 7 190 42 HO II 158 16 Jav Easter Simcnds Holder because the champion Is killing it." Frazier has fought Just two unranked opponents, for a total of eight rounds, since beating All, who has gone into the ring nine times for a total of 86 rounds in that period. The 33-year-old Foster, who at 180 was outweighed by 41 pounds, gave Ali some of the roughest rounds in his 41-fight pro career despite being knocked down seven times. Foster went down the final time 40 seconds into the eighth round. "He's a great, great fighter," said Ali.

"I've got a cut and a bruise. That's something that Joe Frazier nor anyone else could do to me. "I'm a little bit human," he added about the cut over his left eye that required five stitches. The only other time he was cut, All said, was in his third fight as an amateur when he was a Louisville, Ky teenager named Cassius Clay. "But it's worth the $250,000," Ali said.

He was guaranteed the quarter million for the scheduled 12 round fight in the theater showroom of the Sahara-Tahoe Hotel. Foster, whose ring record is now 49-6, received Rookie someone mentioned the award to me then, and I did think about it off and When the season was over, I knew I'd done the best of any rookie pitcher, but I thought perhaps the writers might go for a guy who played every day." Placing second to Matlack in the writers voting was catcher Dave Rader of the San Francisco Giants, who got four votes. The remaining ballot went to Ma-tlack's teammate, John Milner. By PAUL RITTER Enquirer Sports Reporter Ka-boom, feat-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom. Thait, fans, is a 21-gun salute.

Add the wistful strains of a bugler's "Taps" and you have the picture ait Xavier University's Cor-conan Field today. That is where the Marines will "surrender" their varsity football program, that is. Better, still, let them sound fire and Ham back, for Marine Commandant, General Robert Cushman has had enough enough of football for his Leathernecks of Quantico, Va. It is said General Cushman himself will be on hand to review the final "parade" of this proud unit. It is a sad day for "The a day certain to be filled with emotion as the Marines, answering the final call to battle at noon, suddenly transform themselves into the ghosts of Eddie a 0 Jim Mutscheller, Ken McAfee, Art Donovan and Bob Schnelker all former Quantico football greats.

The emotional factor favoring the Marines is of foremost concern to Xav-ier's rookie head coach Tom Cecchini, naturally. "You think they wont be A Man For Today IT WAS SATURDAY last, an interesting day in the long, interesting life of the man who is Paul Brown. His mind was occupied with thoughts of the Baltimore Colts but there was room in there for the kids. It was the day that Princeton High was to play and beat Massillon. Massillon and Paul Brown belong together.

It was, after all, the place where his fame began. It was Paul Brown who, 40 years ago, built Massillon High into a football power, a high school football power known across a football-crazed nation. It would be natural to assume that Paul Brown, quietly and in his way, was rooting for the Massillon Tigers and their proud tradition. It would be natural but it would be wrong. Instead, it was Princeton who drew the Brown sentiment.

This, you see, is 1972, not 1932. Massillon is from the past; Princeton is the present. The Paul Brown residence today is just a few short blocks from Princeton High. On Friday nights in the fall, when his thoughts have turned from Sunday's professional encounter, Paul Brown strolls over to Princeton High to watch the Vikings perform. "You know," Paul Brown reflected as he sat In his office, "I really haven't been back to Massillon in 25 years other than to visit my wife's family graves.

I don't even know the Massillon coach. In fact, I don't think I know the last four men who have coached at Massillon." HERE HE WAS, the man who built the Massillon legend, who won 80 games and lost eight there, and he had filed lt all in the past This, though, is an integral part of the man who is Paul Brown. It is a part of him that isn't known, isn't understood. It has been 10 long years since Paul Brown was run out of Cleveland with echoes everywhere that the game of football had passed him by. Those are the same echoes you hear in bars around Cincinnati today, echoes that are a tribute in disguise to the man who founded the Browns, lost them, then founded the Bengals.

This is not a man, despite.the 64 years he wears so youthful, (years that somehow are overlooked in the Bengal press guide) who lives in the past. He is a man who lives in the present and the future. Five years ago he came to Cincinnati to found a team called the Bengals. He set up a "five-year vowing to be competitive within five years. It was a formidable task in this day and age of expansion.

It was a task, to be sure, that he accomplished so well that his team now is booed for its mistakes, for its losses. It has, in the most remarkable of fashions, al- ready tasted a divisional championship. It is a team that a city expects to win another. That is success. AND, TO BE perfectly honest, the Paul Brown "five-year plan" may have worked In 1972.

Think, for a moment, of this current team with a healthy, mature Greg Cook at quarterback, four years of pro experience under his belt. Think, too, of this team had it won a game in Los Angeles that it should have won, only to Iqse 15-12 when Horst Muhlmann missed three gimme field goals and officials made two calls so blatantly wrong that they were chastised by the league office and may well lose their jobs. That loss hurt Brown worse than any other since he came to Cincinnati. "I didn't tell lt to the team but I was afraid it would affect the entire rest of the season," he said. It did.

turned the season around and now his club has three losses in a row. But Paul Brown refuses to panic, refuses to look into the past and tell his team that lt is losing games he never would have lost at Massillon High or at Cleveland. TO THE CONTRARY. Instead, he looks to the future. He listens to the boos when Ken Anderson is quarterbacking Instead of Virg Carter and admits Carter would make fewer mistakes today.

But Anderson, young, inexperienced and learning, is his man of the future his new Greg Cook, if you would. He sees Muhlmann have his problems and cost him a game but he knows that 20 other teams would jump on Muhlmann if ever he were to be waived. Instead, he works with Muhlmann and tries to get him to overcome his inadequacies. He is building building toward the day when he has what he wants, and that is a Super Bowl championship. A return to the top, that is his goal.

That Is why he can take a Paul Robinson and trade him, a move he admits was hard to make because he is a Paul Robinson fan. But he needed a linebacker like Ron Prltchard and now he has him and fully expects him to be something when he has a training camp under his belt. HE BELIEVES THAT last Sunday, in losing that 20-19 heartbreaker to Baltimore, his team came even more of age. It played well In adverse weather, another step forward. This pl'ases So does his mewl.

He peks lt up and reads net criticism for the timeouts and not criticism for the missed extra point. Instead, it is complaints from fans who said people with umbrella had blocked their view. "That," he grinned," is what most of the mail has been about. And do you know that I've gotten more mail from people about our unpaid water bill a bill we've offered to pay but" have been turned down since no one knows exactly how much we owe than about any other one thing since I've been in football." He laughs about these things because they happened today, not yesterday. And, he knows more of lt is to come in the future.

It for this that Paul Brown lives. STATELINE, Nev. (AP) Former heavyweight champion Muhammad All still charges that Joe Frazier, the only man who has beaten him, is wearing a crown "too heavy for his brow." But Bob Foster, who lost by an eighth round knockout to, All Tuesday night, landed a left Jab that cut the ex-champ early in the fight and later cut All with his remarks. "I don't think he can punch like Frazier," said Foster, the reigning light heavy champion who was knocked out in the second round by Frazier in a 1970 if 1. r.

AP Wirephot Foster Explains How He Lost All holds ice bag to cut left eye Easy Way Out? 1 Bear Disagrees TUSCALOOSA, Ala. VP) Alabama coach Paul "Bear" -Bryant has responded to a charge by Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghlan that Alabama "took the easy way out" by choosing to go to the Cotton Bowl Instead of the Orange. "I Just can't see playing a team In a bowl that has lost two games," Bryant said Tuesday night. "We would be honored and privileged to play Notre Dame at any time or any place except at this time." Parseghlan said earlier this week that "from everything I've read, and by their own admission, Alabama took the easy way out. They were in the driver's seat being undefeated and their decision dictated the structure of the other bowls." Notre Dame, which is playing in the Orange Bowl, currently has an' 8-1 record but still faces Southern California, the top-ranked team in the nation, in two weeks.

Nebraska, the other Orange Bowl team, has a 7-1-1 record and plays fourth-ranked Oklahoma Thanksgiving Day. "Texas, I think, has one of the top five or six teams in the country and they could be in the top three or four when we play them," Bryant said. "If it should happen that we come down to the last six or seven minutes of the game, playing for a national we will not run out the clock," the Tide coach added, referring to the 1966 Notre Dame-Michigan State game in which the Irish elected to run out the clock to preserve a 10-10 tie. Notre was national champion that year and Michigan State was No. 2.

Bryant, speaking at the Tuscaloosa Quarterback Olub, added that "any bowl game will be unimportant if we blow the game to Auburn." The archrivals square off in Birmingham December 2. lets' Matlack Top aay against Miami, you ve got problems that only time can solve. The Jets' secondary is al-- ready the most vulnerable I in the American Confer- ence. Now lt has been fur-! ther hampered, if that's possible, by Injuries three starters, cornerback Steve Tannen and safeties, Chris Farasopoulos and Gus Hollomon. Dallas 31, San Francisco 1 21: The Cowboys' defense 'j finally woke up last Sun- day albeit against unlm-l presslve Philadelphia.

NowJ lt faces the potent 49ers, who say John Brodie will be ready to play. And even if he doesn't, Steve Spur- 1 rler Is not to be sneered at after what he did to Chica- go. Still, lt figures San Francisco will have no success running against the Cow- boys and relying almost exclusively on an aerial -j frame won't make up for It. The 49ers defense Is good, perhaps even good enough to slow down Hill and Walt Garrison somewhat, but not good enough to stop both them and Craig i Morton's or Roger Stau- i bach's passes to those two plus Billy Parks, Lance Al- worth and the rest. NEW YORK (UPI) A rookie of the year earns his accolade by being consistent 'and lt as consistency that earned the 1972 National League rookie of the year award for the New York Mets' Jon Matlack.

Matlack, 6-3 and never missed his turn on the mound for the Mets, posting a fine 15-10 mark with an ERA of 2.32, fourth best in the NL. In (his 10 losses, the lefthander suffered frorr a He Is notyj man out of the past. 1.