The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 10

''T 1 'V'- lire. IS, I9T9 S-C Athletic scandals the tip of an iceberg? The Timrn MtRnn'oHTmwMmf J. 0 iM" to Minuteman (Times photo by Billy Club Billy Kilmer still delivers on target By BOB GREEN AP Sporls Writer ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AD -The scandals that have scarred Arizona State and the University of New Mexico may be only the tip of an iceberg moving with silent menace toward the nation's collegiate athletic programs. "But is it a big Iceberg, or maybe just a little one?" asked Walter Byers, executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

No one knows yet But the threat of a nation.il scandal exists. "There is little doubt No, there is NO doubt that the schools whose problems have been publicized are not the only ones involved." Byers said by telephone from his headquarters in Kansas City, where the nation's collegiate athletic programs are governed. Neither he nor the NCAA's chief of enforcement, Dave Berst, would identify the number or names of other schools now under investigation. But Berst confirmed that "a number" of other schools are under scrutiny. "There doesn't seem to be a geographical pattern to it," Berst responded to a question, apparently expanding the area of concern far beyond its origins in the Southwest.

"A number of schools in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) have called me and said they are reviewing their own transcripts," WAC Commissioner Stan Bates said. "It's a bad situation. Other conferences have called asking about it and are looking into their own transcripts." In a large part, the situation involves athletes who received credits for academic work they did not accomplish, credit for courses they did not attend, credit from institutions they've never even heard of. First, Arizona State's football team was struck down, in the course of the 1979 season. Eight players were found to be ineligible because of the transfer of credits of an extension course from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, supposedly taken in Gardenia, but for wtieh, in fact, the athletes were judged guilty of the mild offense of "non-attendance." But they were ineligible and Arizona State forfeited five victories.

Then a sad and shabby story began to develop around the ambitious and highly-successful basketball program at New Mexico, a story that is not yet complete and is still under investigation on at least four levels: by the NCAA, the FBI. the Mate attorney general and an internal investigation by the school. It involves federal charges of mail fraud and bribery, a list of 57 allegations of violations by the NCAA, an investigation of financial misconduct, the construction and purchase of a seal for use in bogus transfer credits and. among other things, the published and plaintive admission ol UNM assistant basketball coach Manny Goldstein that: "I didn't do anything illegal until I had to So far, six basketball players have been declared ineligible and one suspended, one game forfeited and Goldstein, New Mexico's chief basketball recruiter, and Head Basketball Coach Norm Ellenherger have been suspended. Their chances of regaining their positions are.

at best, remote. "He's history," one UNM official said of Ellenberger. "After what's come out, no school could afford to take a chance on him." Officially, their status will be determined at an Athletic Council meeting, the date of which has not been set. "We are moving very expeditiously under due process procedures." University of New Mexico President William E. Davis said.

"But we are affording these people the rights afforded any individual." He noted that Arizona State faces a multi-million dollar suit after acting precipitously to Football Coach Frank Kush. Into the midst of the New Mexico situation has come the respected and successful John Bridgers, who. as athletic director at Florida State, helped lift that school's athletic program to national prominence. He succeeds Lavon McDonald. UNM athletic director who resigned early in the fall and later said he was fired.

Bridgers took over on Nov. 30, the date Ellenberger and Goldstein were suspended. Those suspensions arose from an FBI raid on several homes and businesses in Albuquerque suspected to be gambling establishments. The FBI said that tapes from telephones in those establishments were made. A transcript of one tape, a conversation between Ellenberger and Goldstein, was released.

It concerned basketball player Craig Gilbert, who came to New Mexico from Oxnard Junior College in California. In part, the conversation went: Goldstein: "I got him a degree, an AA (associate of arts) degree." Ellenberger: "You got him a degree?" Goldstein: "Yeah, they're going tf put 16 more hours on the transcript, this transcript. This is the way the) want it." Ellenberger: "Which means- he graduated Goldstein: "Yeah, he graduated." Two days before he was suspended. Ellenberger said in an in terview he was under no pressure whatsoever to produce a winner. But later in the taped conversation there was this exchange: Ellenberger: "I tell you Manny we need players so bad, and we need, we need good kids.

You know what happened to (former player) Willie Howard. Goldstein: "No. what happened?" Ellenberger: "Oh, armed robbery Held up a guy with a gun in parking lot or something and now he's up and I tell you I don't know if we're going to survive this or not A sworn affidavit by an FBI agent, of which the transcript was part, said Goldstein had caused a falM transcript to be sent from a New Jersey school. Merrer. to a California school to give Gilbert enough credits to be eligible to play for -New Mexico.

Gilbert. Goldstein nnd Eilenbersjer were suspended before the first game of the season. And things then began to snowball UNM officials began checking the transcripts of other players. Five more were ruled ineligible when irregularities were discovered and a game forfeited in which they played They were found to have received credit for an extension course offered by Ottawa. Univesity on the campus of Los Angeles Valley State College but did not take the course.

The players said they had no knowledge of how the credits came to be on their records or who was responsible. Another player was suspended New Mexico played its next basketball game, a loss to New Mexico State, with the four remaining members of the basketball team, two walk-ons from the football team and a sturlnt manager. It was something of a come-down for tram that compiled a t32-64 record in the seven years of the Ellenberger reign, won two WAC conference titles, reached post-sea' son tournaments four times and consistently ranked in the top three in the nation in attendance. That attendance, incidentally, supported the rest of the UNM athletic program. And the revelations continued to come.

Ellenberger has declined any comment on the advice of his attorneys Goldstein, a chubby, fast talking, hard-sell type from New Y'ork, refused to talk with local reporters before leaving town, but admitted to a national magazine that he'd changed records to make Gilbert eligible, and had purchased a seal with which to stamp records "They have me for changing a transcript or allegedly making one up." Goldstein is quoted as saying "Now you tell me how bad a crime 1 did. I bought a seal. I didn't steal'it I went to a print shop and had tl made, and I bought it "Did I try to hurt the kid? He's not eligible. He had nothing to lose. I considered everything.

This was the last resort. I didn't do anything illegal until I had to." "I think Manny's idea of what an educational institution is, Ls just wTong. We will remedy the situation in the future," new Athletic Director Bridgers said. But there's still more. The FBI subpoenaed records of a travel agency that handled New-Mexico accounts and is looking into possible financial misconduct in the handling of basketball travel funds State criminal investigators are looking into a series of loans that might have betn made to basketball players in 1976 and 1977.

The school is checking the academic records of athletes back a minimum of seven years "We are deeply chagrined." said Davis, and added that the situation is "very damaging to the reputation of the university." It is entirely possible that the damage and chagrin are not complete, that there is more to come. "I don't think we've heard the end of it," an official spokesman for the University said. Bridgers said the use of bogus transcripts for athletes "probably is widespread. "These extension courses, the way they work, the more you have en, rolled, the greater the precentage of profit you have. I'd be very surprised if the practice isn't widespread.

"That doesn't make it right and it doesn't in any way change what we've done. "It's a bad thing, a real blow to the. University. I suppose it's Just that when a man bends a rule or two, it. becomes easier to bend three or four Kilmer Indy facts at a glance (Continued from Pjw 1 C) per mt and tied tor 14th in total defense, aivine uo 251.5 yards per outing.

McNeese is also listed 4th in net punting, averaging W.3 yards per punt. Syracuse is also listed six times in the Official Statistics with JOE MORRIS leading the way. ranked 7th in rushing with 124 7 yards per game and ranked 3rd in all-purpose running with 154.4 yards per game. Quarterback BILL HURLEY is 16th in total offense with m.t yards per outing while kicker GARY ANDERSON is also tied for 7th in field goals getting 1.34 per game. As a team, the Orangemen are rated tth in rushing offense, netting 271.2 yards per game and 14th in total offense, piling up 407.

yards per contest. DEFENSIVE LEADERS McNeese State finished first in the Southland Conference in defense and is led by linebacker OARYL BURCXEL who totaled 44 solo tackles and 17 assists. Tackle CLAY CARROLL was in on the 'most stops for the Cowtwvs. turning in 52 solo tackles and 34 assists for a total of 14 knockdowns. Syracuse has given up 351.1 yards total offense per game with linebacker JIM COLLINS in on the end of most plays.

COLLINS has amassed 221 stops during the season, 131 solo tackles and 10 assists. Linebacker MIKE ZUNIC and tackle MIKE CONNORS have both totaled more than 100 tackles with ZUNIC having lit and CONNORS 102. POST SEASON HONORS Eat-West Came OB Bill Hurlev. Syracuse WR Art Monk. Syracuse Blue-Gray Game OG Cratg Woltlev.

Syracuse John Miller. McNeese Senior Bowl WR Monk SPECIAL GUESTS The Spirit of Independence award will be presented to comedian Bob Hope. Also present tor the game tonight wilt be General of the Army Omar Bradley, country western singer Charley Pride and tie San Dteoo Chicken. RADIO-TELEVISON For the first time in the four-year history ot the Independence Bowl, the game will be telecast nationally. The previous three years, the contest has been shown on a regional basis by individual networks of participating teams.

WTBS, Channel 17 in Atlanta will carry the game into tour million homes via cable lines and into seven foreign countries by way of a hook-up with Syndic ast Services. THE GAME WILL BE BLACKED OUT LOCALLY, HOWEVER. Pete Van Wieren will handle the play-by-play with former professional quarterback Billy Kilmer doing the color commentary. Four separate radio stations will be originating broadcasts of the gam with McNeese State's official station being KSNS-FM and Syracuse using WSYR-AM as its flagship. In addition.

KRMD-AM in Snreveoort will be covering the contest as wilt Syracuse's student station WAER-AM PAST BOWL CONTESTS 117 E. Carolina 35, Louisiana Tech 13 East Carolina 14 7 7 7-35 Louisiana Tech 0 10 3 013 EC Anthony Collins, 3 run (Bill Lamm kick) EC Leander Green, 1 run (Lamm kick) EC Collins. 1 run (Lamm kick) LT Scooter Spruiell. 32 pass from Keith Thibodeaux (Keith Swillev kick) LT-Swillev, 34 FG LT-Swillev. 34 FG EC Theodore Sutton, 45 run (Lamm kick) EC Eddie Hicks, I run (Lamm kick) 1177 Louisiana Tech 24, Louisville 14 Louisville 7 0 7 014 Louisiana Tech 21 0 024 Lou Kevin Miller, 40 punt return (Pedro Posadas kick) LT Charlie Lewis.

1 run (Keith Swillev kick) LT George Free, 4i pass trolm Keith Thibodeaux (kick tailed) LT Larry McCartney, pass from Thibodeaux (Lewis run) LT-Swllley, 21 FG Lou Miller, 13 run (Posadas kick) A-1 0.500 1174 McNeese 20. Tulsa 14 Tulsa 7 0 0 314 McNeese 13 1 420 Thomas Bailey, run (Steve Cox kick) M-Jan Peebles. 42 FG Peebles. 34 FG Mike McArthur, 1 run (Terry Far land run) Met McGowen, 45 return el blocked field goal (kick tailed) T-Cex. 30 FO Oliver Hadnot 23 run (pass tailed) '76 Indy Bowl By GERRY ROBICHALX Times Sports Editor Billy Kilmer surveyed the field once again Friday as he had in his playing days.

Instead of opposition players, he saw an attentive audience of 260 Minuteman Club members and guests. And the man who threw 165 touchdown passes as a professional quarterback delivered on target once more. "It's a shame it takes a tragedy to bring people together to take a look at said the veteran of years with San Francisco, New Orleans and Washington of the NFL. Kilmer had turned a laugh or two earlier in his talk. Those were forgotten as he spoke of the tragedy of the Iran hostage situation.

Too often. Kilmer said, after such a tragedy has brought people solidly together they tend to drift apart following its resolution. "They go their own way. it's over," said Kilmer. "We have hostages in this country all year round," he said.

They may not be held physically but they are held hostage by their circumstances, according to Kilmer. "The uneducated. Those who can't read or write. Those who suffer from cerebral palsy, something I'm especially involved with. None of those problems are too big a foe for our society, according to Kilmer.

"Our energies can free a lot of these people." Kilmer said, if the efforts are united and continuing and the community doesn't turn away to wait until the next tragedy brings it together to work toward a solution. Kilmer's point followed an introduction that focused on tonight's Independence Bowl The Minutemen Gub is a group which backs the Hadnot By BILL McIXTYRF. Times Staff Writer "We had like 35 seconds left in the game." Oliver Hadnot. compact and powerful like all good pocket-sized fullbacks, was saying as he stood Friday afternoon on the 23-yard line in the south end of an empty State Fair Stadium. "Really, we were just trying to get the ball in field goal position (for kicker Jan Peebles).

Get it into position in the middle of the McNeese State was trailing Tulsa University. 13-16, in the inaugural Independence Bwl. Fourth quarter, time running iut. A cold night in December of 1976. Hadnot, then a 19-year-old freshman out of Jasper, Texas, remembers it was a third down as he bent over in the huddle among the blueshirted Cowboys.

The quarterback was Terry McFarland. who wDuld be voted the game's offensive MVP. The tailback was Michael McArthur, who would later play pro ball in Canada. "A 32-dive." Hadnot recalls the play as he pulls his windbreaker around him on a west side bench. "I got the ball, a straight ahead dive play.

The whole left side of the offensive line threw key blocks. I looked back (from the end zone) and the WHOLE offensive line had wiped everybody The underdog Cowboys, their ranks decimated by the loss of a dozen players, some through postseason ineligibility, others through a pregame dormitory incident, had taken the wind out of the heavier and heavily-favored Hurricane. "(Tight end) Allen Heisser was the first one to reach me in the end zone," remembers Hadnot of the instant bedlam. "He just grabbed me and started picking me up. They smothered me against the fence.

I could hardly breathe. I couldn't move. Somebody took the ball out of my hands. I didn't know where the ball was. Still dont." Thus ended the first Indy Bowl.

McNeese by 20-16 "That night, after scored." Ilad- I college post-season classic through its membership funds. The four-year-old post season game was a good example of a group unity and what it can do, Kilmer said. Through work of local citizens, the bowl "has grown to something you can be proud of as a community," said Kilmer who once quarterbacked Coach George Allen's Washington Redskin teams. He saw a similarity between the bowl as a focal point community effort and pride and the Redskins of Allen's regime. When he got to Washington it was a community with infighting and trouble, Kilmer remembered.

"George told us. 'here's a town that needs us. Needs a When we started winning as a team we could see people coming together behind us as a community." Kilmer said. "People in Washington started believing in themselves." Kilmer laughingly told the story of the police official who told him that the crime rate dropped off considerably during the hours of 1-4 p.m. on Sundays when the Redskins played.

"Everybody was interested in listening to the games," Billy related. Kilmer saw the championship season of the Redskins as a purpose that pulled Washington together. "This is what you're doing here. Getting involved." said Kilmer. Independence Bowl chairman R.H.

"Skippy" Shirley was recognized for his work on this year's bowl by master of ceremonies Buddy Roenier who called him a man who dreamed big dreams for the bowl and put his effort into making them a reality. Kilmer is expert commentator for WTBS-TV's telecast of tonight's Independence Bowl game. recalls not adds in retrospect. "I couldn't hardly believe it. I didn't dream about being a hero.

I didn't TRY to be a hero. I just tried to do my job. "I stayed in my room the whole night after the game. I was real tired," Hadnot. returning a first time to the battleground of past glories, was older by three years.

And bigger. He weighed 185 pounds then, he's now up to 207. Things change. The opponents now come from Syracuse University. Even Oliver's old room, where he retired to solitude after scoring the game-winning touchdown, is gone; they're tearing down the Captain Shreve Hotel.

Oliver has changed, too. "I've tried to wipe out memories of my sophomore and junior years." says the burly fullback who on 121 carries this season gained 545 net yards for the unbeaten Cowboys. "As a sophomore I missed six games with a bad knee," he says. "As a junior I alternated with Gerald Polaski. Last spring I made up my mind I would NOT alternate, so I worked on my speed and quickness and body building.

I'm still 5-foot-lO. haven't grown in height, but I'm thicker." If he isn't drafted by a pro team this winter, says Oliver, he'll pay his own way to tryout camps as a free agent. "I want to play professional football for somebody," he insists. "I like this game too much to be out of it. I've been playing since I was in the "th grade." Tonight, vhen he isnt carrying the football, but throwing blocks for tailback Artie Shankle, he'll key on all-East middle linebacker Jim Collins.

"I won't have to look for him, hell be right there where the ball is." realizes Oliver. Will history repeat as another underdog McNeese State club tackles a favored Syracuse? Would a touch of deja vu call for another game-winning touchdown run by a barreling fullback from Jasper. Texas? "I hope it don't get that close." yells out a departing Oliver Hadnot against empty walls on the Fair Gjounds yzifil "Hf 1 V- (Times photo bv Billv pshaw) lliitlnttt ill ir of pat glor.