dribblin’ around / paul danzer
A waste of a season
How stupid do they think we are?
Do the people running the sports show in
this country really think that sports fans will
get excited about 80-plus meaningless games
through the miserable, rainy fall, or the long,
cold winter?
Do they they expect us to cheer rabidly
when the only thing the home team is playing
for is the right to play three games, rather than
two, by the time the real season rolls around in
April?
Evidently so.
Long and cold is a good way of describing
the winter sports season. Look at the National
Basketball Association. Each team suffers
through 82 contests spanning from October
through April with the “goal” of scoring big
enough to secure a spot in the "second
season."
There is something wrong, however, when
teams are distinguished by futility rather than
fertility. Who do you think looks at the box
scores and standings with the most interest
around April Fools Day?
Clue number one: They’re not looking at
the number of wins their wimpy teams manage,
because there are so few of them. Clue number
two: Many of their employees have had “off
years” and will likely have next year off.
If you guessed the brass and followers of
such lucrative establishments as the Cleveland
Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, or Houston Rockets
you are on the ball.
While 12 of the NBA’s 23 franchises are
still in the derby for the league’s most coveted
prize, these three are busy fighting it out for the
second most valuable reward — the number
one draft choice.
Only those few teams in danger of slipping
into that narrow void between the playoffs and
payout can take an early vacation.
But those members of the terrific 12 are
busy toning up for the playoffs, and those
members of the pathetic three have the always
challenging task of losing with dignity.
After all, the reward for a horrid finish this
season could be Virginia’s 7-4 dynamo center
Ralph Sampson.
But if the playoff proliferation in the NBA
is disgusting, it is downright sickening in the
National Hockey League.
As a case in point, let’s look at the New
York Rangers.
Ever since I was growing up watching
Peter Puck on the tube between periods in the
Sunday afternoon hockey games, I have been a
big Rangers fan. But who in their right mind
really thinks the Rangers earned the right to
play in the Stanley Cup playoffs with their
mediocre play during the regular season?
Not me—but I was gloating last weekend.
At that point the Rangers, who slid
through the regular season with a meaningless
35-35-10 record, had swept the Philadelphia
Flyers 3-0 in the NHL’s Patrick Division semi
finals.
Philadelphia had flown to the top of the
division during the NHL's 80-game regular
season, finishing 26 points ahead of the fourth
place Rangers. Heading into the opening round
of the post season tournament, the Flyers were
one of the most feared squads on two blades.
One has to wonder how players can take
regular seasons seriously. Many of them pro
bably don’t as long as they get their paychecks.
And if the players don’t take regular season
games seriously, why should, or why do the
fans?
After all, for six months the Flyers had toil
ed long and hard, terrorizing many opponents,
including the Rangers, along the way to a
regular season division crown. But what did
they get for their efforts?
They earned themselves a chance to play
the division’s weakest team in a five game
series. They had earned the right to play three
of those five contests in the friendly confines
of the Spectrum, a building they had enjoyed
much success in during the season. A great
deal. How could they lose three games to a
team like the Rangers?
It was easier than most people thought it
would be.
The Rangers, after all, had nothing to lose
and everything to gain entering the playoffs.
The Flyers, on the other hand, had enjoyed a
prosperous winter and were ready for a short
vacation when the Rangers came to town.
But the Rangers were starting fresh, they
had gained a reprieve and were even with the
division champs who they had trailed the entire
year.
While the Rangers were busy earning the
right to continue down the Garden path, the
Flyers watched that long winter fade into a
lonely spring as the New Yorkers leap-frogged
over their regular season conquerors.
Ridiculous.
Don’t get me wrong, I will gleefully twist
that cap and cheer the Rangers as they venture
on toward the Stanley Cup.
Herb Brooks has worked miracles before
(remember the 1980 Olympics?), and if the
Rangers’ coach can bring the first Cup in
50-plus years to The Garden, it will be like New
Year's Eve in Times Square—exciting.
It would also be like the Atlanta Hawks
rolling past the 76ers and through the NBA
playoffs to claim the crown — extremely ir
ritating to the rest of the league.
But if that happens, maybe some of those
people in towns like Philadelphia will begin to
wonder what the value of the regular season is.
Maybe they’ll get mad enough to question the
system which allows a whole season to go
practically unnoticed.
Maybe some at least will realize what
stupid suckers we all are for paying (through
the nose, I might add) any attention to regular
seasons.
Go Rangers.
MARINE OFFICER PROGRAMS
A Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer
will be on your campus today and tommorrow!
TIME: 10 am to 2 pm
PLACE: EMU LOBBY
SEE CAPTAIN DURDEN
• GUARANTEED AVIATION
• FREE FLYING LESSONS
• $100 A MONTH IN COLLECT
• NO ON CAMPUS TRAINING
Sale on all Sekai bicycles
$25 - $65 off
during April
U iliutniu
i V.ittt\
cyfirks
663 E. Thirteenth Eugene. Oregon 97401 - 343-7086
enter for
sports medicine
& running injuries
^ of eugene
Eugene Medical & Professional Center
132 E. Broadway, Suite 830, Eugene, OR 97401 683-4703
/Artisan
>4utomotives
April Specials
Struts $79.95 installed
Heavy Duty Shocks $12.95 installed
And Check our prices on Brakes
With a full brake job or installation of struts and
shocks receive a free engine analysis on our Sun
Diagnostic Computer
Both Foreign & Domestic Autos
10% Student Discount with student ID
1477 W. 3rd No Student discount on specials 485-1881
Willamette Pass's
SPRING FUNG
For snow conditions call: 345-SNOW
Downhill & nordic ski rentals: San Marco,
Elan & Soloman.
Ski School for all ages.
Guest Passes available at the mountain &
Eugene Office: 1872 Willamette, 484-5030
TAKE HWY. 58 TO MILEPOST 62.