Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 31

fcn-- 4- Dawson, Namath Agree: AFL Superior DETROIT FREE PRESS Friday, Jan. 16, '70 -I) 6 The NFL I Playing Outdated, Football 4r 9- )r- NEW YORK tfl The quarterback in the strawberry-red jacket and gold trousers said to the quarterback in the conservative green silk suit: "The American Football League has outgrown the National Football League. The AFL is better, hands down." "I agree," said the quarterback in the green silk suit. "I think we are more imaginative." It was the first meeting since Sunday's Super Bowl game of Broadway Joe Namath, the star of the AFL's 1969 victory over Baltimore, and Len Dawson, most valuable player in Kansas City's 23-7 clobbering of the favored Minnesota Vikings five days ago. Appearing together on a taping of ABC's Wide World of Sports (Channel 7 Saturday, p.m.), in which they analyzed the Chiefs' victory at New Orleans, Namath and Dawson joined in enunciating the AFL's superiority.

Namath was the more outspoken of the two. "I just can't understand it," Namath said. "The odds-makers made Minnesota a 14-point favorite, and the sports writers all fell for it. Most of the writers said the Vikings would eat the Chiefs alive. "Didn't they learn anything from the year before?" (The New York Jets, behind Namath, upset the Baltimore Colts, 16-7.) "The NFL has.

become self-satisfied. It plays stand- ard, stereotyped football which dates back to the old New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers, under Vince Lombardi. "Lombardi was successful and other teams naturally patterned themselves after him. The AFL was new and fighting for life. So it strove to make changes.

It has come up with more imaginative offenses and better defenses. "The Chiefs played the Vikings off the field out-thought and out-muscled them. They proved they're the best football team in the world." Namath showed up for the TV show in a purple suit with bell-bottomed trousers 'Two Bad Years and I Quif-Howe' OMAHA, Neb. (UPI) Detroit Red Wing star Gordie Howe said Thursday that next year may be his last as a professional hockey player. But he said he intends to remain associated with pro -a? its hockey.

Shed No Tears For Pro Owners and a Buffalo Bill suede jacket. Then he changed into his XV attire: A jacket the color of his spiked tomato juice, gold pants, black shirt and white tie. Dawson was neat in a green suit with narrow cuffs, matching green tie and short haircut. "I feel strongly for our league," said Dawson, a TV radio commentator in Kansas City during the off-season. "We have more imagination, a more sophisticated offense and better defense." Both agreed that football was heading more toward a multiple offense and a crowding pass defense (bump and Turn to rage 3D, Column 3 THE BLEATINGS of these professional football own ers that they just aren't making that much dough out of the sport is a very touching thing.

It touches my heart. If you happen to be a season ticketholder of the Howe said his goal is to complete 25 years as a player and to be a member of a Stanley Cup championship team ag-ain. HOWE, HERE to receive the Omaha Sportscasters Association sportsman of the year award, began his long playing career with the Omaha Knights. He is in his 24th National Hockey League; season. "I'll play two bad years In a row before I quit," Howe said.

"The biggest fear I have is the day I have to give it Howe hasn't played a bad year, however. He recently, was named to the first team for next Tuesday's All-Star game, his 21st All-Star appearance and 12th first team selection, both records. And last season he registered 103 points on 44 goals and 59 assists, his career high. Howe has been lxthered considerably this season by an arthritic condition in his left wrist but still is Detroit's No. 2 scorer.

NFL Lineup Still in Air NEW YORK (UPI) The new National Conference of the merged National Football League failed once again Thursday to determine a realignment plan for the 1970 season. Owners of the 13 clubs met ap Photo for 10 hours, but none of the "We're more imaginative," say Len Dawson (left), Joe Namath various plans submitted could meet with the necessary unanimous vote. Gordie Howe 'Major College Coach of Year' Bo Is Voted No. 1 by Coaches Lions, I'm sure it touches your wallet. Poor Bill Ford.

Poor Clint Murchison. Poor Phil Iselin. Sob, sob, sob! If you listen to these people, they would have you believe they are running these teams strictly in the interest of the public, almost like public works of charity. They can show you profit-and-loss statements which reveal a very low margin of profit for such a very big business. Murchison, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, says: "I'm not exactly sure why I own a team.

My brother thinks I'm nuts. People think football owners are making a killing. When I give them the figures, they just won't believe them." It is generally agreed that the average net profit of a professional football team today is about $250,000. This ranges up to an $800,000 profit for the Green Bay Packers down to a loss of almost $1,000,000 for the Boston Patriots. Living High on Hie Franchise A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LIONS said that his team would clear about $150,000 for the 1969 season.

The New York Jets, owned by Iselin, claim that they made only a net profit of $135,000 in their Super Bowl year of 1968. Ail this despite big crowds and even bigger television contracts, and in this context, it is a rather surprising picture. It is also very misleading. They fake you out on three points: 1 While the profit margin may be low for such a multi-million-dollar business, the people who operate these franchises treat themselves very well: big salaries, big expense accounts, lush offices, exotic trips, etc. 2 If a team claims that it makes "only" $250,000 from its vast investment, it is using semantics because this is "pure profit," or net profit after taxes, and it is a solid quarter of a million dollars.

3 But, most of all, most of the men who own these teams are not in it to make profit; if they were, they'd get out and invest their money in something more lucrative. This last point is the key to the whole professional football setup. Do you think Bill Ford bought the Lions so he could turn a buck? Sure, he likes to be a success there is pride in that. But he is more concerned about the prestige involved here, being the boss of a winner, rather than how much money he takes out of the franchise. Nice to See Name in Paper DO YOU THINK that Lamar Hunt, the Texas oilman, needs the Kansas City Chiefs to pay his bills? Or Bud WASHINGTON (UPD Bo Schembechler, whose Michigan team upset Ohio State, was named Major College Football Coach of the Year in balloting by his ellow coaches Thursday.

Larry Naviaux of Boston University was selected Small Dakota state was runnerup in the college division. Other nominees were Gordon Larson of Akron, Dave Maurer of Wittenburg, Bob Walters of West Carolina, John F. Bell of East Tennessee State, Darrell Mudra of Western Illinois, Benny Ellender of Arkansas State and Lee Davis of California State at nominees were Bob Blackman of Dartmouth, Woody Hayes of Ohio State, Homer Smith of Davidson, Ralph Jordan of Auburn, Dan Devine of Missouri and Tommy Prothro of UCLA. Naviaux was the youngest head coach in Boston University history, taking the job last July at age 33. RON EKHARDT of North verines to an 8-2 regular-season record and co-championship of the Big Ten.

Southern Cal beat Michigan on New Year's Day, 10-3, with Schembechler in the hospital. He won in competition against seven other major college coaches selected on a district basis. Darrell Royal of Texas was second in the balloting. Other College Coach of the Year. Young, at the coaches' annual meeting here.

IN PASADENA, Schembechler eexpressed his appreciation of the new honor. "I may well be the only coach to win this award vho failed to show up for his final game," Bo said in a statement from the hospital. Schembechler lauded the University of Michigan for giving him the oppportunity to coach there and praised his players and assistants for their efforts which made the award possible. IN HIS first year at Michigan Schembechler led the Wol Both won the coveted awards of the American Football Bo Schembechler Coaches Association. Schembechler, who suffered a heart attack the day before Michigan played Southern California in the Rose Bowl, is still hospitalized on the West Hit OL HIE Coast.

His award was ac cepted by an assistant, Jim Orr Bags NHL Record In 6-3 Win BOSTON (UPI) Boston's Bobby Orr set an all-time National Hockey League record for total assists by a defenseman' Thursday night while helping the Bruins to a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Adams, the owner of the Houston Oilers? And it's this way almost straight down the line. Hunt and Adams are millionaires many times over and they're in it because it's fun, it's stimulating, it's a challenge and they get their name in the papers. Don't underestimate that last point. Ralph Wilson, who is one of the more engagingly honest owners in the pro game today, says quite frankly that he sticks with his Buffalo Bills because of prestige and status.

Wilson loves the limelight. He is a prosperous insurance man, and that's how he got the money in the first place to buy the Bills. He has negotiated many a lucrative insurance contract, but none of them ever gave him a fragment of the publicity he got from his dealings with O. J. Simpson.

Wilson knows this and admits it. He says: "Considering the financial problems we're facing these days, a guy would have to be crazy to buy a franchise. The profit margin is growing dimmer all the time. You have to come into this thing for the fun of It, or for the intangibles they calPprestige' and 'status. The last time I saw Ralph Wilson he waa dining rather sumptuously at Brennan's Restaurant off Bourbon Street in New Orleans and the Bills weren't even in the Super Bowl.

When the Ford Motor Co. puts out a new car, do people call Bill Ford on the phone and say: "Great car, Maybe a few do. But what do you think happens Monday morning after his team clobbers the Los Angeles Rams, 28-0? How do you put a dollar value on that? The 21-year-old Orr, who earlier in the week became the first defenseman ever to win a scoring prize for leading the league at the hallway point of the season, got two assists in his 40th game Thursday night for a record total of 51. Orr was breaking the mark set just last season by Chicago defenseman Pat Staple-ton, a record rolled up over the full 76-game schedule. Orr, who now needs only one more goal or assist to equal his own total point mark of 64, set last season, got his record-breaker on a third period score by Phil Esposito.

Announcement of the assist record touched off a demonstration by a capacity Boston Garden crowd which showered the ice with debris and chanted "We Want Orr," until the young: defenseman stood at Bobby Orr OUR ENTIRE STOCK OF WRIGHT ARCH PRESERVER SHOES AT REDUCTIONS Every single Wright in stock has been marked down for this sale. The selection includes grained and smooth leathers in just about every style you can think of; in slip-on and lace-on models. And all have the famous Wright Arch Support built in for lasting comfort. Now sale priced 31.88 to 45.05 FAMOUS JOHNSTON MURPHY'S A large group of shoes priced for important savings. Choose from luxurious leathers, many styles 29.99 to 31.99 ENTIRE STOCK OF BOSTONIANS Choose from a large selection of hand-sewn shoes, moc toes, plain toes, slip-ons and lace-ons, now sale priced 16.96 to 39.10 his place on the Bruins bench and waved acknowledgement.

THE BRUINS, who moved back into second place in the East and are still unbeaten against Western Division teams with 17 wins and four ties, including five straight victories over the Kings, broke away to a 4-0 lead. FIRST PERIOD: 1-Boston, Westfall, 7 (Cashman, Lorenti) 2 Boston, Hodge. 19 (Awrev, Carleton) 3:01. 1- SF Gives McCovey $100,000 SAN FRANCISCO (UPD Willie McCovey, the National League's most valuable player of 1969, signed a new two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants Thursday that put him in the $100,000 class. McCovey was working on the second half of an $85,000 per year contract but Horace Stoneham, Giants' president, who announced Mc Covey's signing, tore up the pact and handed Willie a new one.

Terms of the contract were not announced by Stoneham but he did not deny that the new pact put Willie, who led the N.L. in homers (45), runs batted in (126) and slugging average (.656) in 1969, in the six figure class. LION LINEBACKER BOOTS with warm lining, sizes 7-1 3... 13.99 It Doesn't Hurt to lie Rieh THE TWO LEAGUES are dominated by affluent owners. The Minnesota Vikings have five principal owners, all of whom are independently wealthy.

John Mecom Jr. of the New Orleans Saints inherited millions from his father's oil holdings; Murchison is an industrialist who has holdings in 100 different corporations; Cleveland's Art Modell earned a fortune as an ex-advertising agent in New York; Edward Bennett Williams, owner of the Washington Redskins, is a nationally recognized criminal lawyer and he has numbered among his clients no less a figure than Jimmy Hoffa. The list goes on and on. But even those who rely strictly on their teams for a living, like George Halas of the Bears, can't be doing Turn to Page 3D, Column 1 Boston, Stanficld, IS (Esposito, Carelton) 7:16. 4-Boston, R.

Smith, (Orr, Hedge) 11:11. 5 Los Anaeles. Wall, i (Hextall) 19:44. Penalties-Roll Awrev McKemit SECOND PERIOD: 4 Lot irvine, (ianan, Kocnerorr) 2:15. Los Angeles, White, I (Rolle, Lonsbrery) 19:31.

Penalties Shack O. Smith Lonioerrr BucvK THIRD PERIOD: t-Boston, Esposito, 21 (Carleton, Orr) 9-Boston, Esposito, 22 (Hodge, Carleton) 17:50. Penalties Orr Krakt Cahan Shots on soal: Los Angeles 1713-1-11; Boston 17-15-2355. ARBORLAND BIRMINGHAM EASTLAND GRAND RAPIDS GRAND RIVER GREEN- I FIELD JACKSON UMCOLfc PAF.K UVONIA MALL MACK MOROSS MACOMB LL ts fR ST- MALL NORTHLAND OAKLAND MALL PONTIAC MALL WESTLAND WONDERLAND Except Wooow.rd (nr Stat.) open to 5:30 UNIVERSAL CITYWESTBORNWCODWARD MONTCALM'WOODWARD NEAR STATE B.rmmgnam open Saturday to 5:30 i A i il i-l t- 1 j-aX. X- jL.

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