The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 71

711114e ter1tit4A444 Section Score Phone Zrite itharlotte Observer Section Score Phone IC 4111 24 Hours A Day 24 SP4I PM Sunday Sept 3 1978 Sports 1474 1 Fans Wish: More Observer Illustration BY GEORGE BREISACHER Fans ei Wish: in 2 41-1 Mo 1 vl 1 i ii 1 I 71 4 4 iir I i 41111? 4tir 14 041 II (I Nit more A 1 40 4101 ro tr IQ rzz C- I 1Ci :3 '61 II te 4 I I I I a LJ 44 it I I 0 Observer Illustration GEORGE BREISACHER Observer Wire Reports This is kickoff weekend for the NEL's 59th season and in the spirit of the American dream the league and network television are operating on the theory that more is better than enough and too much is bet-I ter yet By the playoffs in December the nation will have seen more games (420 instead of 392) more nationally televised games (58) more beer commercials (6441 give or take) more wild-card playoff teams (four instead of two) more officials (seven instead of six) and let's not forget more dancing girls (numbers unavailable) The big beneficiaries besides bleary-eyed football freaks will be the 28 clubs whose share of TV revenue has gone from $21 million to $5 million each Three of those televised games will be on Char- lotte stations today with the Miami-New York Jets (NBC Channel 36) and Washington-New England (CBS channel 3) games at 1 pm and the Oakland-Denver (NBC' Channel 36) meet at 4 a rematch of last year's AFC championship game Beginning with today's first full regular-season card and extending through the Jan 21 Super Bowl in Miami the season covers 21 weeks three more than last year And if you think that's too much remember the NFL has the polls on its side A recent again ratified pro football as the nation's No 1 spec- 1 tator sport So we have the NFL launching its campaign on Labor Day weekend instead of mid-September the starting time in recent years The 14-game regular season became 16 And pleased by its original wild-card playoff system the NFL has doubled the wild-card qualifying positions to four which means 10 rather that eight of the 28 teams will advance to the postseason playoffs Here's how that works: Each conference (American and National) is divided into three divisions East Central and West The six division winners go into the playoffs So do the next four teams (two from each conference) with the best overall records behind the division champions Those four wild-card clubs will occupy a new playoff date (Christmas Eve This is kick and in the spi and network 1 that more is hi ter yet By the play seen more garr ly televised 1 (6441 give or (four instead six) and let's unavailable) The big be freaks will be nue has gone I Three of 0 lotte stations 1 (NBC Channe (CBS channel Denver (NBC' last year's AFC Beginning card and extet in Miami the than last year member the Is again ratified i tator sport So we hal Labor Day wi starting time ir The 14-gai pleased by its NFL has doubt four which teams will adv Here's holly can and Natio East Central i into the playc from each cor behind the div clubs will occt Observer Wire Reitorts This is kickoff weekend for the NFL's 59th season and in the spirit of the American dream the league and network television are operating on the theory that more is better than enough and too much is bet-I ter yet By the playoffs in December the nation will have seen more games (420 instead of 392) more national- ly televised games (58) beer commercials (6441 give or take) more wild-card playoff teams (four instead of two) more officials (seven instead of six) and let's not forget more dancing girls (numbers unavailable) The big beneficiaries besides bleary-eyed football freaks will be the '28 clubs whose share of TV reve- nue has gone from $21 million to $5 million each Three of those televised games will be on Char- lotte stations today with the Miami-New York Jets (NBC Channel 36) and Washington-New England (CBS channel 3) games at 1 pm and the Oakland- Denver (NBC Channel 36) meet at 4 a rematch of last year's AFC championship game Beginning with today's first full regular-season card and extending through the Jan 21 Super Bowl in Miami the season covers 21 weeks three more --Int-- A 1160 Oakgitt 1 or 0-4vitt Can coach Tom Landry's Dallas Cowboys ride shotgun over the NFC repeat as NFL champion and become the first team to win three Super Bowls? In Denver will the Orange Crush fizzle? It was a miracle the Broncos made it to the last Super Bowl while allowing 50 quarterback sacks Can quarterback Craig Morton survive another season? Now that OJ Simpson has sold enough season tickets in San Francisco to pay for his $733000 annual salary can he still leap over defenders the way he leaps over renta-car counters? Who will smile first: Landry Minnesota coach Bud Grant or the Statue of Liberty? Will Grant's Vikings continue to defy science and defeat the aging process? In Buffalo will new coach Chuck Knox (late of the Rams) who says he wants to put the Bills "back in pro football's mainstream" have better luck See NFL Page 8C Col 1 this year) for two first-round elimination games The victors join division champions the following weekend in the first of three rounds leading to the Super Bowl Individual and team records established over past seasons of 14 12 or fewer games will not be protected For example if Dallas's Tony Dorsett exceeds in 16 games OJ Simpson's 1973 mark of 2003 yards rushing in 14 games the record is Dorsett's No strings attached But before you get the impression that pro football is strictly business the longer (by two weeks) 16-week regular season should answer at least some of the following fun-and-games questions: I Will the owners continue to play musical coaches? Ten of 28 teams have new head coaches (three who merely switched cities) and more than 100 assistants were hired fired or both One head man the Rams' George Allen started heads roiling again by getting the ax after two exhibition games NFL Get More Ni Ge Ma ele7t: fC! A 0 Li NFL Get Mo t' 44 A 0 Three quarterbacks who are proven winners: (From left) Oakland's Ken Stabler Dallas's Roger Staubach and Minnesota's Fran Tarkenton rbacks win- t) tabler Stan- aesota's waswasarras Inside Today Fighting Back Industrial softball is workmen's compensation especially at the national tournament General Electric-WACO's has been runnerup twice in the national tournament and bids this weekend for the top Story Page 4C industr especially Electric-W national to top Story 1 i I Quail Hollow Planning Big Sendoff Next Season For 'Last' Kemper Open Hayward Ply ler won the rain-shortened $52- 000 Queen City 200 Saturday night at Metrojina Speedway and pocketed more that $14000 Story Page 6C Haywa 000 Queer Speedway Page 60 Cl r- 4 '4 eti" At'''' 4' 0 'f: 11::1 4: sy i': i i- 14t) i -'fsvckiii 4': 4 e31144r 2: ''''''X dS ''4 i i 4) :::::::4:: Golf Richard Sink Gol Si si3O I It wasn't much of a birthday present for Jimmy Connors who turned 26 Saturday In the third round of the US Open tennis championships he had to struggle for a 7-5 4-6 6-4 victory over little-known American Pat Dupre Story Page 6C It wasn Connors round of ti had to stru known Am The Kemper's top weekly attendance was 93000 in 1974 it was 88000 this year the 10-year average is 82000 Congressional reported 140000 at the '76 PGA and plans to sell tickets for $15 (npared to the Kemper's $9 on weekends Congressional is committed to providing $300000 for charity in its first year the Kemper gave $25000 this year a sum Jim Kemper has called an embarrassment Congressional has approximately 1500 members Quail Hollow 285 "What's he going to do if he has to go to his board of directors with these figures?" said Borough Quail Hollow had been working on a contract for the tournament in 1980 and beyond Kemper had asked for more course improvements and George and Tom Fazio an uncle-nephew designer team had submitted plans Palmer and his architect partner Ed Seay were given a "verbal contract" Palmer said to also participate Quail Hollow wanted a five-year contract with Kemper in order to top weekly at00 in 1974 it ar the 10-year Congressional the '76 PGA ickets for $15 $9 on is committed 100 for charity Kemper gave a sum Jim an embarrass-has approxi)ers Quail Holto do if he has directors with Borough been working the tournament Kemper had course and Tom phew designer plans Palmer Artner Ed Seay rbal contract" participate nted a five-year per In order to As it now stands sometime in the summer of 1980 the Kemper Open flag will be raised in the courtyard of Congressional Country Club in suburban Washington The flagpoles at Charlotte's Quail Hollow Country Club current home of the Kemper Open will be bare The conspicuous blue-and-white press tent won't be at Quail Hollow either The little green shed near the third green and fourth tee which housed the PGA Tour office and was temporary Kemper Open headquarters won't be needed For the first time since 1968 the Kemper Open won't be at Quail Hollow "I don't think people are over the shock yet they 0111 realize we've lost it" said Quail Hollow member Sam Berry "But I'm optimistic I've not given up on it" Berry is in the minority In the next week Randy Borough 1979 tournament chairman plans to make his pitch He'll present upgraded projections of ticket sales to James Kemper chairman of the sponsoring Kemper Insurance Companies But Congressional's board of di It's been 20 years since Observer sports writer Tom Higgins first went to Darlington for a Southern 500 stock car race Times have changed and so has Higgins He recalls his first Southern 500 Story Page 7C rectors has endorsed accepting the tournament in 1980 opening the decision to a membership vote and Borough concedes "It's gone unless Congressional votes no Or if it's close and Mr Kemper changes his mind" Berry also a Congressional member doesn't see that happening "I know Congressional wants a tournament The enthusiasm generated with the 1976 PGA (Championship tournament) was like a taste of candy" Borough believes Kemper's interest in moving the tournament is a matter of dollars and cents whetted in a slick presentation by PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman The figures back Borough's belief Congressional sold 8600000 in advertising for the '76 PGA program the Kemper sold less than $100000 this year Mohammad Ali: Former Champ Coming An All Keepsake We've got something special planned for you Muhammad All's next and possibly last boxing match will be Sept 15 against Leon Spinks The Sept 14 Observer will include a 16-page All keepsake 'magazine with stories and pictures tracing Alies career from his childhood through his years as heavyweight boxing champion And how is All's training coming? The story is on Page 4C Higgins Iliggin The season is drawing to a close for the Charlotte Orioles Now the players are thinking what's in store for them in the future Os manager Lance Nichols evaluates the O's prospects on Page 100 The se lotte Oriol in store fo Nichols ev See QUAIL Page SC Col 1 SC Col 1 Sportswaves East Carolina's Big And Growing T777777777977T Bob Quincy 'irvg4 I VA NFL Openers: Choice Of I I pm C) Washington Redskins at New England Patriots ID Houston Oilers at Atlanta Falcons Miami Dolphins at New York Jets 4 pm Z6) Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos CBS-TV and NBC-TV kick off their 1978 regular-season NFL coverage with a series of regional games beginning at 1 pm But today's top attraction is NBC's national telecast of Oakland and Denver a rematch of last New Years re 41 Alt Day's American Football Conference championship II li' game 1 -4Ar 4l i 0 The Broncos (12-2 last year) and Raiders (1 I '1 F4 3) clearly were the class of the AFC in '77 and -V their showdown may best be remembered for a Ii 41:4: 4 controversial official's call Denver led 7-3 nine minutes into the third quarter with the ball on the iii Oakland two yard line Runmngback Rob Lytle dri-: s'i tried to vault the top of the defensive line but was ii- 1 met by Raiders safety Jack Tatum The ball ra ii4: squirted loose and Oakland tackle Mick McCoy Tatum picked it up and headed toward the Denver end zone only to have the play whistled dead ruled no fumble and the ball returned to Denver The Broncos Jon Keyworth slammed over for the score on the very next play giving Denver a 14-3 lead Today's lineups are essentially the same as the championship game's First games like combat beach landings are hell It's especially sticky when a new or expanded stadium is involved which was the case Saturday at East Carolina Fick len Stadium seated 20000 for football last season After nonstop construction during the spring and summer the capacity reached 35000 and they're still planning There is room to build even more seating And they'll need those extra seats too The East Carolina-Western Carolina game 10 years ago drew 10000 diehards Saturday's production attracted three times that number Among the niceties of the new stadium was a virgin press box in which 1 had the pleasure of becoming the first customer The box which can handle 92 reporters had not been opened (even to East Carolina sports information director Walt Atkins) until hours before game time Arriving early I examined the electrical outlets brushed the paint dust from my seat and noted that the work area is similar to that section of the home stands an hour before game time ECU was once known as ECTC (East Carolina Teachers College) but smile when you say that son East Carolina has 12500 students this fall: The athletic complex covers more than 79 acres They mean business these ambitious Pirates Next week they travel to Raleigh to face NC State and the next week the trip is to Chapel Hill to open North Carolina's season With remodeled Fick len Stadium East Carolina would like to have those two plums on home ground East Carolina has big Ideas for its football program The stadium enlargement had a twofold purpose: (1) to accommodate paying customers and (2) to lay the groundwork for a more attractive schedule East Carolina envisions a day when it can host the likes of the Big Four schools Florida State Virginia Tech Navy or anyone with a See ECU Page 4C Col 6 01121L of Carter Stadium in Raleigh Outside the newly-added stands were a brilliant white the cement not yet soiled by feet weather or broken glass "I want our people to come to our games dress comfortably I mean forget those ties and coats and to make football a happening" says Dye "I occasionally see a game in the Big Four area Most of those people seem to be afraid to loosen up" They loosen up at Ficklen Stadium The fans come early and they don't mind staying late Students all but filled the choice middle 011PLifaigie'k I Western Carolina Falls 1 16 5:00 made in West Germany taned) 6:00 wrestling Pirates Win Stadium Opener 14-6 l'oda Tennis 4:00 CE) (I)---us Open Flushing Meadows NY 11:30 OD (1)---us highlights Baseball 1:20 WSOC-AM (930) 1:30 Atlanta Braves at Pittsburgh Pirates Golf 5:00 Men's Amateur Championship Plainfield Country Club Piainfield NJ Football 11:00 Week In the NFL 11:30 if--NFL game highlights 1:00 (1) Washington Redskins al New England Patriots Houston Oilers at Allanla Falcons 1:00 Miami Dolphins at New York Jets 4:00 alt Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos 11:45 Carolina football Miscellaneous 12:00 01)-S outhern Sportmen Month Auto Racing 11:45 WCGCAM (1270) WSOC FM SOO Darlington SC Tennis 1:00 Open Flushing Meadows NY CD Open highlights Baseball 7:20 WSOCAM Dime Padres al Atlanta Braves Miscellaneous 7:30 Best Defense 1917 AmenicAs Cur) highlights 8:00 racing: Ali-American Futurily Los Angeles Football 830 Falcons-Houston Oilers highilghls 8:50 W1ST-AM (1240) 9 BaItimore Co lls al ()anal Cowboys 0 :) 1 It was the mistake-prone type of game coaches tend to call a "typical opener" but the Pirates and the Catamounts carried it to the extreme There were 12 fumbles in the game each side losing four Western Carolina also had four passes intercepted at least one of them snuffing out hopes of tying the game "It was a comedy of errors" admitted East Carolina coach Pat Dye "Our defense played well saved us a couple of time The heat was something awful and the ball was wet from the humidity It was hard to hold" Coach Bob Waters of Western By BOB QUINCY Observer Staff Writer GREENVILLE NC East Carolina quarterback Leander Green connected with split end Billy Ray Washington on a spectacular 60- yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter to assure a record crowd of 31251 spectators the Pirates really could score on their own merits It was solid padding for East Carolina In a 14-6 victory over old rival Western Carolina at remodeled Fick len Stadium the 1978 opener for both teams But for a while It appeared that nothing but turnovers counted Carolina said it didn't take a smart person to figure out the game "Our offense made too many mistakes for us to have a chance to win" said Waters "Our defense played tough ECU's secondary deserves a lot of credit" It was 7-0 at halftime but East Carolina had every opportunity to have the game well under control The Pirates had three solid opportunities to score after costly Weste rn Carolina turnovers Tailback Mitchell Ray's fumble In the first period recovered at the Western Carolina 24 by tackle Nate Wigfall of the Pirates set up See EAST Page 4C Col 5 1 Bitty Hay NN ashingion 60-yard TD pass A 1 0 I.