The Miami News from Miami, Florida • 23

Miami serni-pro team Buccaneers fiave a no-sfiowprobemf oo 'X iC3flJfa Sept. 26, 1973 By JACK WILKINSON Miml Ntwt Reporter In the third quarter of the Dolphins' loss to Oakland, broadcaster Al DeRogatis remarked, "a football game without fans is Just not football," Sunday, the Miami Buccaneers found out that a football game without the-other team is just not football either. The Buccaneers are one of six semi-pro teams in the Florida Football League. Their opening game against Petersburg was scheduled for. one o'clock.

But at 1:40 the only people on the field Wednesday, at Hialeah Stadium were two kids checking the divots in the end zone. Five minutes later, the game was cancelled, "St. Pete didn't show at all," said John Mays, the Buccaneers' head coach, as he peered into the empty us some equipment to use and that helped considerably," Mays said, referring to shoes, helmets, shoulder pads, and hip and thigh pads, things that help considerably when playing football. Miami lost money on the stadium rental, the cost of the officials and the conces-. sion stand.

"For what we lost here, St. Pete will have to pay for our traveling expenses when we play them away," said Mays. When Mays said that he and general manager Ar-mand Grossman were still trying to get outside backers, he didn't mean linebackers. "We can't stand too much like this," Mays said. "The coaches were even taking money out of their pockets to pay the officials.

"When St. Petersburg doesn't show up, that's a problem." Especially when things were beginning to look brighter for the Buccaneers. "When we started practice the last week in July, we had 25 or 30 players," said "A local TV station filmed a practice one night and gave us some coverage. "We had 80 guys at the next practice." Now the number is down to 40 on the active roster, Continued on 3C, Col. 4 JOHN CRITTENDEN Sports Editor Section Mays explained that St.

Petersburg's reputation had made it to Miami, even if their players didn't. "I called them Wednesday and Thursday during the week," Mays said. "I spoke to the secretaries for their coach and general manager. They said they'd definitely get the message and the team would be here." Apparently, the' message didn't get across clearly enough. "Supposedly some of them came down in cars," Mays said.

"Some were in town Saturday, but we haven't heard from anybody, "I called the coach and general manager but didn't get an answer. I couldn't even get a hold of the league commissioner." The Buccaneers were struggling financially even before the cancellation. "The players bought their own jerseys and some equipment," said Mays, as a player left the locker room dressed in his own black jersey. "Two lending sources gave' -Mi Associated Press Wlrephots The Love Match: only a tennis ball and afterward, BillieJean said, "Right now, I wanta beef." -That used to be a masculine drink, After an exerting experience, a woman would ask for a damp cloth to touch In a time of joy, a sad moment The Mets pulled away in the National League, East race last night, winning as Pittsburgh lost, hut it was not an evening of unrestrained joy at Shea Stadium. During farewell ceremonies, following the announcement last week of his retirement, Willie Mays rubbed his eyes and said, "Just to hear you cheer like this for me and not be able to do anything about it makes me a very sad man." Lack of seniors hurts FSU-Jones to her forehead, or a sasparilla, maybe.

But Billie Jean said, "Right now, I want a beer," and she was handed a can of Lone Star, a Texas favorite, without a quibble. Things have changed, all right. The day after Billie Jean King did it to Bobby Riggs in straight sets last week, the public prints were filled with reports of the event, and analysis without -end. Riggs forgot to train. King hit it behind him.

And on like that. But there has been a singular lack of follow-up about The Mean- stands. Earlier, the stadium had held perhaps 100 people. "We have a fine team but I hope, this doesn't distract them from coming back." He meant the players, not the fans. "St.

Petersburg has the worst reputation in the league for this," said Bill March, Miami's offensive backfield coach and backup quarterback. "Even when we scheduled them we were worried about this." The Buccaneers, a second-year team, are playing their first season in a league. As an independent last year, they played five games under a different name. "We were called the Barracudas," said Mays, "but West Palm Beach (another team in the Florida League)' "already had that one. "We had to change it to the Buccaneers and I hoped that would change our image too." Between apologies to his players and reminders about the next practice session, Aaron: 1 still have a ch ance AhkhM Preit ATLANTA "I still feel I have a chance," says Hank Aaron.

"I think I can hit two homers in four games." Those are the magic figures remaining for the 39-year-old Atlanta Braves' star as he attempts to equal Babe Ruth's lifetime record of 714 home runs before the end of the 1973 season. Aaron, who hit No. 712 Saturday night at Houston, went hitless in four trips against Los' Angeles righthander Don Sutton last night as the Dodgers whipped the Braves 5-1. Aaron bounced out twice, fouled out once and brought the crowd of 10,211 to its feet in the seventh with a long drive to dead center, caught by Willie Davis on the warning track. "I thought he had it," Sutton said.

"I thought it was gone. It really jumped. I was getting ready to tell people how I felt. And, he hit a good pitch." Sutton gave Aaron a tanta-lizingly slow pitch "a slop drop" in the fourth inning which Aaron took for a ball. Someone asked Sutton if he might not be accused of laying it up there for Aaron.

"I like Hank personally and respect his ability," Sutton said. "But I wouldn't lay it in there for my brother." f. mmmmmmmmMmA and defensive back Randy Shively) who would've played much." What really hurt, according to Jones, Is that the clouds over his players opened up. "We had only two good days of weather on our practice field," he said. "We were just trying to find a dry spot in an open pasture.

It was knee-deep in mud and we couldn't even move the equipment. We couldn't work on the things we needed to. "It really hurt us and then we had the flu, We lined up for Wake Forest (a 9-7 loss) with seven starters out." Though the flu Jias subsided, Florida State's is still not a healthy "Our biggest weakness is the offensive linemen and the running backs," Jones said. "Our running game has been nil, because two of our three with experience weren't even able to line up. We didn't get Fred Miller back; Mike Davison (used briefly) against Kansas) is not playing now.

We have one letterman in the backfield." 5 "Hodges Mitchell, who ran for 944 yards last season, was almost helpless against Kansas with a bad ankle, but is expected to be healthier for U-M. The lack of a running game has left Ihe Seminoles' passing game, best in the nation during the past five years, vulnerable to opposing defenses. Billy Sexton, the transfer from Alabama who was expected to keep FSU's passing game strong, completed 2 of 22 passes against Kansas and is being challenged for his starting job by Mark Orlando, who got his first varsity experience last Saturday. "We lined up several times with two freshmen in the backfield, a freshman end, a freshman receiver and a quarterback who's Continued on 2C, Col. 3 By JONATHAN RAND Miami News Reporter Larry Jones has been watching on film a University of Miami football team drastically different from the one his Florida State team embarrassed, 37-14, last year in the Orange Bowl.

"This is a fine ballclub. It looks to me like they've got it all together," the FSU coach said yesterday from-Tallahassee. "We didn't feel like it was a fluke win. They put the pressure on Texas and didn't let up." Jones does not have to turn on his projector to know his team is also drastically different this season. The Seminoles, winners of 15 of 23 games during Jones first two seasons, have lost their first two.

They have scored just seven points and lost the ball 14 times on fumbles or interceptions. Against Kansas last Saturday, they went scoreless for the first time in 81 games. "We really lack experience," Jones said. "You need to have 20 seniors to make a good ballclub. We have six true seniors (lettermen who are not transfers).

We saw it coming last year. We knew we had trouble early in the year. We really needed more seniors then. had about 10, but some (six) of them were pros." Then came a lot of trouble Jones did not see coming. Last June, he was accused of conducting a brutal, illegal off-season conditioning program that caused 28 players to leave.

Jones denied the charges and the figure, replying that no more than three quit because of the program. Still, the charges left the program under a cloud made gloomier by FSU's worst start in 19 years. "That has nothing to-do with it," Jones said. "They're not here anymore. We only lost two players (defensive end Bert Cooper 2 f2Lrt "ill -it Assoclatrt Press Wlrepholo HENRY AARON watches a pop foul during last night's game in Atlanta against Los Angeles.

The Dodgers shut out Aaron in four trips to the plate. With 712 homers, Aaron has only four more games in which to try to match Babe Ruth's record of 714. MARSHALL McLUHAN lnS 0f 11 A11 As Peggy Lee asked, "Is That All There Is?" -rMaybe the match didn't mean anything as far as the various women's movements are concerned, and it may not have had any lasting impact on global establishmentarianism, but there were a few interesting comments afterward. The New York Times called King "the Joan of Arc of athletics." The Washington Post said it well in a headline: "Power To The Persons." Maybe it was a con job but it sure was popular. Its ratings wiped out the other network's 'Bonnie and Clyde', or, as Riggs called it, 'Clyde and A lot of people who watched on color television complained about not being able to see the ball, about being unable to tell whether' shots were inside the lines or out.

A television expert explained that it was something about bad, camera placement. But Marvin Kitman, the Newsday TV critic, had the best answer for that. "The mistake that was made," he wrote, "was in not selling advertising on. the ball. You can be sure that it would have been in focus if somebody was making a buck on it." Two reporters were needed From a newspaper standpoint, the big thing that the match indicated is that editors no longer trust star reporters.

Or maybe the editors are just frightened by the women's libbers. Most of the national newspapers didn't send one reporter to cover the match, but two, a man and a woman. It was almost as if the bosses decided that this was too big an event to trust to a mere male. Or maybe they were afraid that a one-man approach would be regarded as biased. Or maybe they thought a male writer, couldn't, get inside Billie Jean's locker room.

Cosell Co. butchered the commentary, but it was still an event-for-television, and fun to watch. Marshall McLuhan, the communications specialist who wrote 'Understanding Media', called the shot on the popularity of this event 10 years ago, when he wrote, "women will win equality by promotiong uniqueness and diversity that can be fostered under electric conditions as never before." One for you, Marshall. "I always try to do TV first," said Billie Jean, explaining her philosophy, "and then answer questions from the Uncanny, that girl. Sometimes she reminds you of Pete Ro-zelle.

Both Riggs and King know how to use. television well. They each try to look relaxed and remember not to use any long sentences. Back to McLuhan's analysis of the Ms. Match: "Tennis is a natural for television.

Tennis is just concerned with action and dialogue interplay between the players. Golf is 'a monologue. It is too individualistic for TV. That is why it is going out. "As regards the women's aspect," he added, "women are taking over the male role by default.

Women can adjust better to the electronic age because they are more flexible. Women's liberation is a recognition of the fact that men are dropping put and women are taking over." Build-up better than the match As television it was entertaining, but it developed that the build-up was better than the main event. The wrappings were more impressive than what was inside the package. Maybe history should record it as The Love Match. King wins, three-love.

"Beware of tennis players," philosopher Harrison Deal has observed. "They think love is nothing." Riggs the most apt description of him was that with histround face, horn-rimmed glasses and pitchman's sales talk, he resembled the situation comedy character of the 1960s, Sgt. Bilko is not a man who thinks love is nothing. He went out laughing, and kidding about chemistry. During the post-match interview, the photographers asked Riggs and King to kiss.

They obliged. Then they were asked to kiss again, the traditional just-one-more. 4'I don't know," Riggs told King. "This may turn you on." Still, my favorite comment on King vs. Riggs came from a reader who wrote The Miami' News to express her opinion on' the outcome.

Penny Wood's letter didn't arrive in time to be published before the match, but is just as meaningful as an afterthought. Penny'spoem: Mr. or Ms. You am what you is. And no tennis ball For Irv Goode, pressure builds on the sideline Wright scores passing grade on second try nn mm msgm i 'it-''" ft vi AW -f A 1 MU Yepremian, four-for-four the week before, missed the 2G-yarder and had the other one blocked.

Goode snapped in that game too. In Goode's defense, he wasn't his normal self at Oakland. had been hospitalized Thursday with a "deep chest virus" and wasn't allowed out of Mercy Hospital until 4 p.m. Saturday. Two hours later, he took a five-hour plane ride to Oakland, his lungs still swollen from the virus.

In the pre-game warmups the next day, it became apparent that he shouldn't do the snapping for punts. He wasn't up to the long runs downfield after centering the ball. "The swelling of the lungs made it difficult to breathe," he said. "I was panting like a dog in the warmups." So linebacker Mike Kolcn, who handled that assignment two seasons ago, became an emergency replacement, Goode still was the extra point and field goal man. Yesterday, Goode admitted to fighting a mental as well Continued on 3C, Col.

1 By CHARLIE NOBLES Miami News Reporter Irv Goode was not surprised when the Dallas Cowboys' center snapped the ball out of the end zone on a punt attempt, giving the Dolphins a safety in their early-September exhibition game. Nor was Goode particularly shocked when the San Francisco center did a similar thing in the Dolphins' regular-season opener, resulting in another safety. "Everybody seems to take it (snapping for punts, extra points, field goals) for granted," Goode said yesterday. "But I think the last couple of years, people are seeing how important it is. It is a pressure job, a pressure position." Goode, obtained in an August trade from Buffalo for defensive tackle Mike Kadish, is Miami's regular kick snapper.

Sunday against Oakland, he didn't snap a ball over anybody's head but he was high enough on efforts for Garo Yepremian field goal attempts of 26 and 45 yards to perhaps affect the timing between holder Earl Morrall and Yepremian. taking their toll, on Oliver Wright," said Dundee in the fourth round. "Wright is starting to lift his knee to protect himself." Wright had other reasons to lift his knee for protection. Gorosito opened the second round with a flying tackle of Wright and closed it with a swift knee to Wright's groin. "These guys really don't like each other," Dundee is the first time I ever saw a fighter knee someone intentionally, but he could have done it more pronounced." "Gorosito is such a likable kid outside the ring," said Dr.

Fefdie" Pacheco, who worked in Gorosito's corner. "But after that knee, I told him 'You son of a blank, if you do that again, I'm walking out of this corner. "I've never seen anything like that in 15 years." Gorosito was also warned for low blows and butting, swung at Wright on the break and landed a left hook after the bell in the sixth round. But unlike the first lesson, Wright came pre- Continued on 2C Col 3 By JACK WILKINSON Miami News Reporter Oliver Wright learned 1 something about boxing last night. He took his second class in the' Raul Gorosito Heavy-weight School of Self Defense.

It wasn't easy. But he survived, and got a passing grade, winning a 10-round decision at Miami Beach Auditorium. Wright flunked his first lesson in Gorosito's school. That was last month, when Wright was knocked out in the first round by Gorosito, which the loser claimed was on a sucker punch. What is a sucker punch? Angelo Dundee, the Miami Beach manager and trainer, made his debut as a blow-by-' blow boxing announcer last night, substituting for Jay Solomon, the regular WGBS fight announcer, who was ill.

Dundee described a sucker punch for his radio audience: "It comes from nowhere and surprises the opponent." Last night, Gorosito ied sucker punches, sucker knees, sucker tackles and also sucker belly shots. "Gorosito belly shots are Miami News staff photo by Bill Reinke WELL-S CHOOLED SUB, boxing manager Angelo Dundee (right) fills in as railio blow-by-blow announcer on last night's fight broadcast from Miami Beach, with publicist Bob Savage (left) as his aide. Will change that at all..