San Antonio Express from San Antonio, Texas • Page 64

A DDV ROBINSON Meyer and his men eager for Alabama CT xtj rri Bm Scoreboard 1 Baseball Fishing report Page 3F Page 4F Page 5F San Antonio Express iJI V. 1 Page -F Friday September 17 1976 Inch for inch, pound for pound and muscle for muscle, SMU has a bad football team compared to most major colleges on the Pony schedule this season. On paper, the Mustangs can't compete. They should have been 0-11, maybe 2-9 at the best. But alter the opening week they are 1-11 and owners of a B4-1 -1 romp over hungry rival TCU.

As I mentioned here last week, you can't help but laugh and feel sorry for those poor Ponies after looking down their depth chart. They have a total of IS non-scholarship players on the roster and only about (ill gridders with scholarships an only 48 of those are 'healthy. They are young, inexperienced and not real talented. There are eight freshmen, some of them walk-ons, running No. 2 on offense and a few frosh are starting.

On paper, it appears they should be competing against Trinity for the TIAA crown instead of going against Arkansas. Tech and Texas for the SWC title. But as the wise old coach has said so often, games are played on the' field, not on paper. Although pushovers on paper. Ron Meyer's SMU Ponies so far are dynamite on the gridiron.

And Meyer deserves all the credit in the world for this brief success. Meyer's personality and approach to football is similar to that of Grant Teaff. the Baylor coach who believes in believ ing. Meyer's favorite word is intensity and. like Teaff.

lie spends a lot of time talking about desire and dedication. People laughed at Teaff a few years ago when lie told the nation that he was going to make the Bears a SWC contender Some were still laughing on New Day of 1973 when Baylor was playing Penn State in the Colton Bowl. Those same people snickered this season when Meyer said he thought his Ponies could compete with any team in the country. any girls team," they joked. maybe anv high school mean volleyball team, don't Alabama next Meyer has a long way to go to convince most that his squad can contend for the crown but taken a big step in making believers out of many of us.

Frankly, 1 don't and won't believe that SMU is capable of winning a title until it actually happens. But after spending a day in the Pony camp recently. already sold on Ron Meyer. He will be a success. After taking a long, hard look at his players and problems I figured he would be extremely fortunate to win more than two.

Three wins would be a tremendous accomplishment. And it will be. A few days prior to the opener against TCU Meyer told touring reporters that the game against the Frogs could make or break the Pony program this season. "Everything we've done since February has been directed towards TCU," he admitted. "We feel this game is that important to our season." coach, that taking a gamble.

After putting so much emphasis on this game, what if you lose? Couldn't it ruin the whole season?" a reporter asked. yes. 1 guess it could, but I have not thought about it. We haven't even thought about what would happen if we lose. We're thinking only about he said.

After slaughtering the Frogs. Meyer is now taking the same approach for his next opponent, which just happens to be mad, mean Alabama, which was upset by Ole Miss in its opener. a team and football staff, we buried the TCU game. saying it very bluntly and very flatly. I told the team and coaches that if anybody boards that plane (to Birmingham) who doesn't feel that they are going to beat Alabama then don't waste my time and don't waste their time.

re going to Birmingham this week with the sold idea of winning that football game, not hav ing a good sfiowing, not being representative, not staying away from injuries. That's a bunch of you know what. We re just going down there to play one outstanding football game and come back with victory No. 2 here at SMU," Meyer insists. was only the fourth game in YU games that they (Alabama) have lost in regular-season.

That is awesome. "But bad, either. We aren't going down there to look good. We could do that with a forfeit and save a lot of statistics." SMU might not win Saturday but it won't be because of an attitude problem. Meyer has his men believing, See ROBINSON, Page 2 Thunder decision: Honolulu or S.A.

SCORELINE knows the score you want SCORELINE will be open again Saturday from 5 p.m. until I a.m. to provide our readers and sports fans with the latest scores on all events. Our SCORELINE numbers are 225-3472 and 225-1927 so feel free to call and get the scores on your favorite teams. To give everyone a chance to reach our SCORELINE operator, we must limit to three the number of scores per call.

But you can call back a second, third and fourth time, if you wish, for additional scores. No tricks, no gimmicks, no cost to you. It's just another popular public service for the fans. Last week our SCORELINE operator received over calls and gave out over 7,500 scores and about 30 Ians called long distance (please, not So remember our SCORELINE numbers 225-3472 and 225-1927. SCORELINE every Saturday during the football season from 5 p.m.

until 1 a.m. Bucs edge Phils PHILADELPHIA (AID Rennie Stennett doubled home pineh-runner Miguel Dilone from second base in the ninth inning off uee reliever Ron Reed and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat Philadelphia 7-ti Thursday night to move to within four games of the Irontrunning Phillies in the National League East Division. The Pirates prevailed after blowing 3-0 and 0-4 leads to Phillies, who came to light after a one hour and 22-minute rain delay in the bottom of BOX SCORE, Page 4F fifth. Philadelphia finally tied it at 0-0 in the seventh on a tworun single by Bob Boone, who came up without a hit in his last 19 at-bats. Duffy Dyer started the ninth when he was hit by a Reed pitch.

Dilone went in to run and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Omar Moreno. Pineh-hitter Ed Kirkpatrick flied out before Stennett doubled into center field for the winning run. TATE, LAY and SMITH at news conference Photo by Ron ioneV By JIM HUTTON Of the EXPRESS STAff San Antonio Thunder owner Ward Lay revealed Thursday afternoon his soccer club will either play its 1977 season in San Antonio or Honolulu. A decision is expected before the NASI, meetings begin Oct. 11 in Minneapolis.

Lay also announced that Thunder general manager Smith has resigned to accept a similar post with the Quarter Horse Racing, Inc. of California. Smith's resignation takes effect immediately. The Ohio native had one year remaining on his Thunder contract. Tate named Sonny 'Tate, Thunder publicist, was appointed interim general manager.

Lay mentioned Atlanta, 'Tulsa and Honolulu as possible 1977 sites for his Thunder if he could not secure local investment. The Dallasite admitted he had been cheeking other cities for his franchise for three months. days ago a group of San Antonio physicians approached me concerning investing in the Lay said. meet again Friday and will meet again next week. They've asked me not to reveal their names at this time.

This happens to be San Antonin's strongest hope right now. Lay said lie wanted to receive an investment of at least from other sources no matter where the Thunder plays next year. Finances will not go it on my own in Sam Antonio," Lay continued. "It's purely a financial problem and got to get some of the weight off my back." At this point. Lay has a solid offer from Honolulu investors for his club.

The deal would allow Lay to retain 50 percent interest in the Thunder. He current holds 90 per cent interest with the remaining 10 percent divided between his father and a Dallas physician. Lav obviously would prefer the See THUNDER, Page 12F Harlandale Inside Football Report Scouting Reports The Bottom Ten all TV un roNlcrtx amtl Marling Pages 8-1 IF Pro Probe If 4111 li ai ve a at I mi I XFL vu il cam finii anNwikr li re Page 11F le aiti eolleges. New lieattls llie XFL Odds I I vs. Dallas.

Buffalo Page 9F VFL Individual Statistics Page 8F Page 10F CHICAGO (AP) A recommendation to adopt the use of a third referee for the 1970-77 National Basketball Association season was voted down Thursdav by the board ol governors. NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien said opinions over the role of the third official" was the chief stumbling block in approving the proposal. added cost of having a third official was also discussed, but the mam issue at hand was the role of the official- Some of the governors were in favor of giving the (third) official more responsibilities and some were in favor of giving less," said think that in time, the issue will be resolved upd the third official will be adopted. But I'd say it probablv be time for this season." The board of governors also welcomed four new members representing former American Basketball Association teams which recently were admitted into the NBA. Curl Schcer of the Denver Rockets, Jim Walker of Indiana Pacers, Angelo Drossos of the San Antonio Spurs and Hubert Carlson of the New York Nets were permitted to sit in oil the meeting after each team paid the NBA $2 million as the second installment ol a $3.2 million league entry lee.

Each team paid $1 million on July 13 and the final from each team will become payable next June, said. payments from the new clubs were dulv received in with the league agreement and the new governors were accepted said Also discussed (hiring the meeting near International Airport was the expansion of the number ot teams included in the NBA playoffs The governors voted to expand the number troni 10 tu 12 teams, jnelud- ing ehumptons frolli cacti of the lbiir (li) isiiiiis and tour teams with best reeords from bolli Eastern and Western coniereuees. The board also voted to aeeepl John Brovvn of Louisvdie, as a ntember of board Brown purehased 50 per cent interest in Buffalo Braves. ties Edison ELIAS VILLEGAS of Harlandale rolls out behind Alex Garza Phots by Pot Hamilton By JOHN HINES Of THE EXPEESS The underdog Harlandale Indians battled the favored Edison Bears to a 14-14 deadlock Thursday night at Alamo Stadium The Indians scored a lourth-quar- tor touchdown for the final tallv and produced Hie mild upset, second came after the Bears tumbled a fair catch ol a punt and center Donald recovered for the Indians at the Edison 29 Quarterback Elias Villegas kept around left end fur 23 yards to the three, halfback David clearing him lor more vurdage with a good block at the 15. The other running back, Rudy Fernandez, hit for five yards to the one, then was stopped inches short on a following try.

Villegas finally made it on third down on a keeper and Jerry guez kicked his second extra point to forge the final result with 7:43 left. The Tribe got the hull back after forcing another Edison punt and went Irom their own 34 to a first down at the 41 However, at tluil point an illegal procedure set Harlandale hack and illegas was hurt on a keeper. Edison Juan Avclos then forced a fixe- vanl loss and Indians had to kick It was downed at the Edison three but (lie Bears got up to the 38 at game's end. Edison took the lead with a pair of third-period touchdowns. 'The Bears got a big break at outset of the second half as they got started at the Harlandale 35 thanks to a personal foul on the Indians.

Quarterback Herbie Salinas kept for nine to the 12 and a face-mask call halved the distance, then an offisides See HARLANDALE, Page 2F NBA axes use third official.