Honolulu Star-Bulletin du lieu suivant : Honolulu, Hawaii • 35

UPDATE Orlando 0-for-December in NBA UCLA, Indiana win bowl games Falcons, Broncos have scores to settle C-4 Star-Bulletin Section Wednesday, January 1, 1992 i. 3l oooh 1116 0V 6f ployoi sion I-A football is the only NCAA sport that doesn't have one to determine its champion. Everybody else can't, be wrong." But Erickson and James think a playoff would create more problems than it would solve. "It would make the season too long," said Erickson, whose Hurricanes face Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. "If you could figure out a way to play one extra game, I could deal with that.

But to do it right, you're going to have to play a number of games, which will lengthen the season. I don't think it would be good for the players physically." In 1984, Brigham Young edged Washington for the national championship in the closest vote since the AP started its postseason poll. The Huskies could face a similar situation this season even if they beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and finish 12-0. Still, James remains opposed to a playoff. "I feel like the players are overworked as it is," he said.

"We already play enough games, and a playoff would add even more. Plus, I wouldn't want to do anything to hurt the bowls because they've been so good for college football." which might happen if Miami and Washington win on Jan. 1. Another factor is the need for financially strapped athletic departments to find new revenue sources. The NCAA recently refused to consider a $30 million offer by the Home Shopping Network to stage a national title game, but big-money proposals will become increasingly hard to ignore as schools struggle to balance their budgets.

Stanford's Dennis Green favors a playoff because "college football needs a platform to sell itself and the bowl system does not give you that. I think the bowls are fantastic, but their popularity is somewhat regional. If you're looking to make a national impact, a playoff system is the way to go." However, playoff supporters can't seem to agree on what kind of system should be used. Some favor a single championship game, while others want multi-round playoffs involving from four to 16 teams. "That's one of the big problems," said Oklahoma athletic director Donnie Duncan, head of the NCAA Postseason Football Committee.

"A lot of people want a playoff, but no one knows exactly how to do it. I still haven't seem a proposal that would work." Michigan's Gary Moeller thinks a playoff would blur the line between college and pro football. "Why do we have to be like the NFL?" he said. "The college bowl system is unique and I think it serves us quite well. A playoff system would just put another added burden on the players.

At our place, they just can't afford to be out of school that much." Tulsa's David Rader, who favors a playoff, doesn't buy the "too many games" argument. "The people that cry that speak with a forked tongue," he said. "Football players miss less class than any other athletes. This year, we only missed one day of class at Tulsa." Coaches already are under great pressure to win, but critics claim a playoff would make things even worse. "Half the (bowl) teams now end their season with a win.

With a playoff, only one team is a winner," said Tennessee coach Johnny Majors. "I like it the way it is because you have happier players, coaches and alumni." Despite strong opposition, the push for a playoff seems to be gaining momentum. One reason is the possibility of a second straight split championship, A narrow majority opposes a national title game or tournament By Rick Warner Associated Press PASADENA, Calif. If top-ranked Miami and No. 2 Washington win their bowl games today, it will stir another debate over the national championship and renew calls for a playoff system in college football.

However, the calls won't come from the coaches of the two top teams. Miami's Dennis Erickson and Washington's Don James are opposed to a playoff, and so are a slim majority of this year's bowl coaches. Nineteen of the 36 coaches surveyed by the Associated Press said they were against a postseason tournament' to determine the national champion. The other 17 favored some kind of playoff, although many attached conditions and none wanted to completely scrap the bowl system. "I'm for a playoff," said Florida coach Steve Spurrier, whose No.

3 Gators play Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. "Divi- Longtime ref hangs up his whistle here Bain makes his first trip to Hawaii to work his last college games By Paul Arnett Star-Bulletin Jim Bain can walk into most of America's rooms and never turn a head. The 59-year-old Missouri native has been on television more often than Jack Nicholson, but only a handful of If Associoted Press Bobby Ross announces he's going to the NFL. Ross becomes new Chargers' coach ATLANTA Bobby Ross, who led Georgia Tech from college football's cellar to an unbeaten season in 1990, is the new San Diego Chargers' coach. Ross decided yesterday to take the Chargers' head coaching job.

His departure from Georgia Tech had been rumored for days, but he said he didn't make his mind up until yesterday. Ross, 55, compiled a 31-26-1 record in five seasons with the Yellow Jackets. Packers close to signing Parcells GREEN BAY, Wis. The Green Bay Packers are eager to make Bill Parcells their new coach, but team president Bob Harlan said there's no deal yet. Harlan denied a CBS report yesterday that the Packers had come to contract terms with Parcells and a meeting tomorrow with General Manager Ron Wolf would finish the deal.

has visited with him, but they still haven't finalized anything," Harlan said. "He still has to go out there and talk with Bill. That's exactly where we are now." Steelers interview Holmgren Friday PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Steelers, searching for a coach for the first time in 23 years, will meet Friday with San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren. Holmgren, 43, plans to talk tomorrow with the Los Angeles Rams, then meet the next day at his San Jose home with Tom Donahoe, the Steelers' director of football development. Bears' Dent, Ditka make peace LAKE FOREST, 111.

The feud between Chicago Bears defensive end Richard Dent and Coach Mike Ditka has been resolved peacefully. Dent, Ditka and team president Mike McCaskey met yesterday to discuss Dent's future. Dent angered Ditka when he argued with referees in a game at Detroit on Thanksgiving and again when he was given a penalty that led to a touchdown in Chicago's 17-13 loss to Dallas in Sunday's playoff game. Ditka said Monday he might suggest that the former Super Bowl MVP be traded, and if the club refused to do it, Ditka himself might quit. But Dent and McCaskey sounded amicable after their get-together at Halas Hall.

"Things seem like they're going to work out very well," Dent said. Ditka did not talk to reporters. Chiefs' Lewis charged with assault OLATHE, Kan. Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Albert Lewis has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery in connection with an alleged assault on his girlfriend. Lewis, 31, was charged yesterday in Johnson County District Court.

Overland Park police were called to Lewis' house Monday by the 34-year-old woman, who also lives at the house. She told officers that Lewis had put his hands around her neck during an argument. Nebraska to forfeit two games MIAMI Nebraska fullback Omar Soto was declared ineligible for today's Orange Bowl, an action that calls for the automatic forfeiture of the two Big Eight Conference games in which he played. Soto, a senior from Miami, was found to have played a sixth season of collegiate competition by taking part in a preseason scrimmage against another team while enrolled at Mount San Jacinto Junior College in 1986. He played at Arizona Western JC in 1987 and 1988 and, after redshirting in 1989, played the last two seasons at Nebraska.

Walk gets $3 million for two years PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Pirates signed pitcher Bob Walk to a two-year contract worth approximately $3 million yesterday. The 35-year-old right-hander was 9-2 with a 3.60 ERA last season. From Star-Bulletin news services people would recognize him in a supermarket checkout line. This past Monday night at the 28th annual Rainbow Classic, Bain tossed up his last tip-off, blew his final whistle and cradled the basketball given to him after the completion of Alabama's dramatic 1 Jim Bain By Otnnit 04a. Star-Bulletin The Rainbow Classic final marked the last stand and fall for Jim Bain in an officiating career that spanned four decades.

comeback win over Washington State like it was a newborn baby. "I think I'm going to get more emotional than I thought I would," Bain said through watery eyes. "I knew one day 1 would officiate my last game, but I never thought it would be in Hawaii. "This is our first trip to this beautiful state. I can't think of a better place or a better game to hang up my whistle for the last time." Bain has been a Big Ten, Big Eight and Missouri Valley Conference basketball courtroom fixture for 25 years.

Some will say it's about time he moved on to the front office; others will miss his usually accurate calls on the court. "I think Bobby will miss me most of all," Bain said of his on-again, off-again relationship with Indiana head coach Bobby Knight. "He's called me, over the years, by some very affectionate names. But he'll probably find someone else to heap those accolades on." Bain laughed easily at the memories that flowed through his bald-on-top, gray-white-on-the-sides head. involves him.

Everybody knows Coach Knight and his vociferousness. "After being around awhile, I learned I could speak back to coaches on occasion. I made a charging call in December in Bloomington (Ind.) in front of Coach Knight's bench. "And when I turned to take it to the table, why he stood up and said some blasphemy and I turned to him and said, 'Bob you better shut up or I'll bite your damn head "And he got right up in my face and he says, 'Bain, you old bald-headed son of a And I'm cleaning this up. He says, 'If you do, there's one thing for damn sure, you'll have more brains in your stomach than you've got in your head." Bain didn't ring Knight up.

He just laughed and said, "There's humor wherever you want to find it. My fellow officials asked me why I didn't give him a technical foul and I said, 'I'm not going to penalize honesty." decided to forego any more running up and down the court by becoming the supervisor of officials in the Missouri Valley Conference. "The time that it takes tq handle those responsibilities precludes me being able to continue my officiating career," Bain said. "So I'm retiring with (Monday night's game)." But not without a lot of fond memories of the myriad coaches he has met and the many games he has been involved with over four decades. Bain is also glad to see some of the new hand-checking rules that keep defenders from pushing offensive players all over the court.

He realizes that coaches won't be too fond of it because it results in a lot of fouls and trips to the free-throw line. Bain said Knight may raise questions about the new rule once the Big Ten conference season opens next week. "He'll try to push it to the limit," Bain said, then smiled. "My favorite story He has refereed in five Final Fours, the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and on countless evenings in the Midwest, where basketball is a chance to get in from out of the cold. "My most recent Final Four was 1990," Bain said.

"That was in Denver, when UNLV won the national championship over Duke. "We're kind of prejudiced, but I thought the semifinal game I refereed between Georgia Tech and UNLV was the best and most exciting in the tournament. "We saw them again at last year's West Regional in Tucson (Ariz.) against Georgetown. I don't care what anybody says, that's the best college basketball team I've seen since the glory years of (UCLA's) John Wooden." The fact Bain was around during those string of national championships by the Bruins is a testament to his abilities on the court. Now living in Mattoon, 111., Bain gQUOTE "Over Thanksgiving, I called all of my friends in the league.

It took about 12 seconds." Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville. There'll be life after Ty for BYU, but what of his future? ON THE AIR By Mike Lopresti Gannett News Service COMMENTARY AN DIEGO Having thrown his Today's TV highlights 11:30 a.m. KHON Football: Penn State-Tennessee 11:45 a.m. KITV Football: Michigan-Washington and last pass for Brig-ham Young and having had it unceremoniously swiped by KHON Football: Miami-Nebraska 3 p.m. hear it when he gets to camp.

But he'll end up playing somewhere, and he'll be a good one." The post-game crowd was thinning. Edwards was getting ready to go, too. Back to BYU, back to find another quarterback. There's a freshman flash from California named John Walsh who is said to be the heir apparent. And there's a high school prospect in Texas everyone including BYU wants.

Name of Koy Detmer. Has a brother playing at BYU. Or he used to, anyway. Ty is gone now, with his records and his 1990 Heisman. After the last hand was shaken Monday it was time for the most prolific passer in NCAA history to take a shower.

The world outside was waiting. 3 p.m. KITV Football: Notre Dame-Florida 6:30 p.m. KHON Hawaii Sports Final 1991 Review Today's radio highlights 11:30 a.m. KGU Football: Penn State-Tennessee 11:40 a.m.

KHVH Football: Michigan-Washington great one. But there's been as lot of great college quarterbacks Major Harris, Pat Sullivan, Doug Flutie who never made it big in the NFL. "They could win the Heisman and be All-American. But a great pro prospect? No No? Detmer nods his head knowingly when the subject is brought up. He's heard it before.

Nearly all BYU quarterbacks have. The system is what's made their numbers so grand. That, and a soft schedule. And as a matter of record, BYU quarterbacks have been a mixed bag in the NFL. McMahon hit it big.

Young is trying. But take Bosco. He won the national championship for the Cougars in 1984. Now he's back at BYU, as assistant coach. "I was told I was too small to play college football," Detmer said.

"Each step is a new level. I've been able to adjust every time. "A couple of NFL scouts have told me I'm about the same size Jim McMahon was when he left college. He won a Super Bowl. That should mean something.

If you can play, you can. If you can't, you can't." Added Edwards, "He heard that he was too small to play in college. He'll hear it at the scouting combines. He'll 3:10 p.m. KGU Football: Notre Dame-Florida many years.

I hate to see him go. But that's college football." Then there is pro football. With its doubters, its skeptics, its old fuddy-duddies who sometimes say sobering things to proud young college quarterbacks: You don't have a strong enough arm, you don't have enough size, you haven't played against enough good people. Ty Detmer, for instance. Six-foot, 175 pounds.

Smart, but that's no cannon hanging off his shoulder. It takes some time for his ball to get where it's going, and National Football League corner backs make a lot of money off passes like that. All Detmer does is find the open man and win. Works pretty well on Saturdays in college. Good enough for the Heismah, for 15,031 passing yards and 58 NCAA records.

But it doesn't show up very well on NFL computer readouts now, does it? Mel Kiper, the NFL draft analyst for ESPN, predicted Detmer will go in a late round. From the seventh through the 12th. "There's a lot of Doug Flutie in him. He's a great college quarterback. A 3:10 p.m.

KHVH Football: Notre Dame-Florida Tomorrow's TV 'highlights some party pooper from Iowa it was time for Ty Detmer to face the future. The locker room corridor at San Diego Stadium was crowded and noisy. Detmer was tired and dirty. One toe stuck through a hole in his playing socks. An ugly scar was on his chin, souvenir of a regular-season game.

A 13-13 tie with Iowa in the Holiday Bowl was in the books, ending with a interception at the goal line that wasn't a bad pass but wasn't a good one, either. What a way to go. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over a tie," he said. "Though I probably will lose sleep over that last pass." Coach La Veil Edwards has seen them come and seen them go as the patriarch of passing saints at BYU. Jim McMahon.

Steve Young. Robbie Bosco. Marc Wilson. So Monday night had a familiar feel. Kiss one aerial ace goodbye, get another one up in the bullpen.

The QB is dead, long live the QB. "It's a little bit different with this one," he said of Ty Detmer. "He's meant so much for us, in so many ways, for so ESPN Baseball: Prep Goodwill Series 9 a.m. Basketball: Penn State-Ohio State ESPN 2 p.m. Basketball: Hawks-Suns TBS EXTRA POINT By Mike Fitzgerald 2:35 p.m.

Basketball: Purdue-North Carolina ESPN 4 D.m 5-30 D.m. KFVE Basketball: Warriors-Nuggets 7 p.m. ESPN Basketball: Weber State-Montana Tomorrow's radio highlight 7:20 p.m. KDEO Basketball: BYUH-NW Missouri St. Prime time TV listings on Page B-2 Mike Fitzgerald is on vacation.

His column will return Jan. 8..