European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 29, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary leu still has t passed eligibility test Louisiana state s unlikely charge into the Mcaa final four was achieved on the thin Edge of eligibility. How thin might Surprise even leu. It turns out that an Mcaa investigation that leu considered closed May be very much open after All. And in the worst of scenarios that could Send the tigers Home from this Rich tournament without a dime to show for their trouble. The school has been the focal Point of some season Long curiosity by the folks in Mission kan., who guard collegiate athletics so scrupulously. And the questions Are serious and lingering primarily about the eligibility of backup Center Jose Vargas. Early in the season when other questions were being asked coach Dale Brown offered to take a polygraph test to prove his program s innocence. But the Mcaa prefers More traditional evidence. On the Eye of the tournament leu was asked for documentation of Vargas eligibility. The team voted and Brown supported a Boycott if the popular Domin ican Center were not permitted to play. The tigers then went ahead beginning an unlikely tournament drive past four favored opponents Purdue Memphis slate Georgia tech and Kentucky to reach this lofty plateau. It is our understanding that he was completely cleared said Joe Yates leu s assistant athletic director. If they assumed on the eve of the tournament that they had been cleared it was an erroneous Assumption on their part said Rick Everard director of legislative services for the Mcaa. I do know that As recently As 10 Days ago after leu s sub regional victories Over Purdue and Memphis state the situation had not been resolved. We had re Quested More  Steve Horton an Mcaa legislative assistant working on the Case indicated that leu had complied with that request saying i got All the information i asked  did that then Clear Vargas and his school i can t comment on pending Mcaa eligibility cases Horton said. They made the decision to play him. That was an institutional decision. As far As individual eligibility they obviously Felt he was  did the Mcaa agree i can t comment on pending Mcaa eligibility cases Horton repeated. Leu still has some cases in front of the  the irony of All this is that Vargas tournament contribution has been minimal. He has played a total of 13 minutes in four games and the next Point he scores will be his first. Meanwhile the stakes Are High for leu. All final four schools receive $835,300 for their appearances and that entire sum could be forfeited. It has happened before. In 1971, Villanova came within six Points of the National championship losing in the final game to Urcla s dynasty 68-62. The tournament s most valuable player that year was Howard Porter of Villanova. The Only problem was that Porter had been under contract to the old Pittsburgh condors of the american basketball association for the last two months of the season. When Mcaa investigators uncovered Porter s contract status the following summer they stripped Villanova of the second place trophy and took Back the school s tournament receipts of $72,347, a considerable sum then but less than half what a first round loser gets saturday. Ordinarily vacating Villanova would have moved the third place finisher up a notch. The Mcaa was unable to do that though because it turned out that Western Kentucky Star Jim Mcdaniels had signed a pro contract of his own officially turning the final four that year into a final two. Of the 77 schools to reach this plateau Only 10 have been Here More frequently than that popular tournament entry  leu can Only Hope the Mcaa does t decide to add the tigers to this tainted fraternity. The associated press rep ays would Settle time scoring disputes Mcaa urged to use game monitors Dallas a the heat is on for the Mcaa to follow the National football league in using television replays to Correct glaring mistakes in tournament basketball games. The final Straw was the clock controversy during last week s Mcaa Midwest Region Al in Kansas City where the Kansas Jay Hawks got some unexpected help when time stood still. Or. De Steitz editor and interpreter of Mcaa basketball rules says the time has come for action. I will present to the Mcaa committee the possibility of using to to Monitor time and scoring he said. I think the chances Are very Good that something like that will be  Kansas Defeated Michigan state 96-86 in overtime in the regional semifinal but valuable seconds were left on the clock when the timer had trouble getting it started with 2 20 remaining. Michigan state led by six at the time. Steitz said the to would t be used to question judgment Calls by the officials. The reason is that you would need prob ably five cameras and games would last until Midnight he said. Steitz the athletic director at Springfield College also said that from his own View in his living room at least 10 seconds should have been taken off the clock in Kansas City. What should have been done was the timer should have notified the referee that the clock had malfunctioned Steitz said. The referee said he never did  Steitz added that if he had been Michi Gan state coach Jud Heathcote he would have run on the court with his arms waving. Any referee who gave him a technical foul in that situation should t be working an Mcaa game Steitz said. John Thompson of Georgetown presi Dent of the National association of Basket Ball coaches said it would be difficult to get the use of television monitors approved. Sometimes the tendency in our sport is to reject scientific advancements Thompson said. On other matters Steitz said a Survey of basketball coaches showed 80 percent approval of the 45-second shot clock. A total of 7,783 games were Analysed and there was no significant change in statistics because of the shot clock. Eighty nine percent of the coaches favored the coaching Box. Only 40 percent approved of the three Point Field goal. Widening the Lane because of rough Low Post play and the three Point Field goal will undergo some discussion Steitz said. Judge rules against to outfits Oklahoma City a . District judge Juan Burciaga who ruled the former Mcaa football television package was illegal has denied motions by two Tele vision outfits which asked for a summary judgment declaring the substitute plans were also illegal. The daily oklahoman reported that Burciaga rejected almost every Contention of the plaintiffs the association of Independent television stations inc., and sports View co. Of Nashville Tenn. Conversion has unhappy Fisk yawning Sarasota Fla. A the conver Sion of Carlton Fisk continues and he still is not Happy about it. I found myself yawning a few times he said of playing left Field. After 14 years in the major leagues As a Catcher Fisk says his thoughts wander to his old position. And sometimes you find yourself think ing a Little bit too  if i was catching this is what i d throw and this is where i d throw it. And if i d throw it there the most logical place to hit it is this part of the Field and then he hits it to another part of the Field. You find out you be thought yourself right out of the play he said with a laugh. The 38-year-old Fisk is trying to learn a new position after being told by White sox management that he would have to shift to left Field in 1986, he acknowledges he was not delighted by the news. No i can t say i m real Happy about the Way or the approach but maybe by the Middle of the season it May be Fine. But i just have a hard time coming to grips with the fact the ultimatum has been issued to a player that s an All Star at his position Fisk said. You know it s either left Field or Don t play. I just have a hard time dealing with  Pudge is coming off his most productive season. He had career High totals of 37 Home runs and 107 rib. And 33 of the 37 homers were As a Catcher breaking the for Mer american league Mark of Detroit s Lance Parrish. So far in Spring training Fisk has proved adequate in left Field. Coach Joe Nossak has worked with him on ways to catch Fly balls and Fisk has not embarrassed himself in the Outfield. I want to be prepared if i m going to play out there. I want to work hard and be Able to do the Job that s going to make me Happy. If i do Well and hold up my end of the bargain it will make everyone else  Fisk has been hitting Well this Spring Over .400 with some Home runs so apparently the transition has t affected his Bat. They say that throughout the course of the year i will play. Quite a few More games feeling better physically As a result of playing left Field. Hopefully that will be the Case Fisk said. A Phot White sox Veteran Carlton Fisk. It s either left Field or Don t play