COTTON BOWL: A Western bowl alliance involving the Mobil
Cotton Bowl, Builders Square Alamo Bowl and the Thrifty Car
Rental Holiday Bowl, "appears to gaining support among several"
NCAA conference commissioners if the Cotton can not match the
runner-up teams from the Big 10 and Big 12 conferences (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 9/27).
PROP. 16: The NCAA Presidents Commission reaffirmed its
support for increased academic standards for determining freshmen
eligibility but will propose that the standards not be fully
effective until August, 1996. In addition, a new commission
proposal would allow students who do not meet the standards but
do have a 2.5 GPA in 13 core courses to receive athletic
scholarships and to practice but not play in their freshmen year
(THE DAILY). The AP notes that the NCAA presidents were "hoping
to avoid a second showdown with the Black Coaches Association"
(N.Y. TIMES, 9/29).
PAC 10 LAWSUIT: The Pac 10 has decided to use money from
the Univ. of WA's TV appearances last fall to pay legal bills
arising from a lawsuit by Husky football players. About $939,000
"was set aside as part of the penalties the Pac-10 imposed on
Husky football for recruiting and institutional control
violations before and during the 1992 season." The penalties
included a 2-year postseason bowl ban and a one-year ban on
revenue from TV games. The suit, which was filed in December,
accuses the Pac 10 of violating the due process of athletes in
the football program. It contends the penalties represented a
"conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce" that was "anti-
competitive, overboard and unreasonable." Pac 10 officials said
the entire $939,000 will not be used to pay the Pac 10 legal
bills. Leftover money will be put into an interest-baring
account (Angelo Bruscas, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 9/28).
OTHER NOTES: The '95 NCAA Women's Final Four in the Twin
Cities, MN has sold out the allotted 11,516 tickets for public
sale (THE DAILY)....The Colonial Athletic Association may expand
from eight to 12 to include: VCU, Virginia Tech, UNC Charlotte
and Univ. of South FL (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 9/24).... The
Universities of Houston, Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis, Tulane
and So. Mississippi have agreed in principle to form an all-
sports conference. Houston had been the only member of the SWC
to not find a new home (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/24).
