BLISTER IN THE SUN: POWER OUTAGE FORCES IRISH OFF ABC

          A power outage at Sun Devil Stadium knocked Saturday's
     Notre Dame-ASU game off ABC Sports, and when the network
     "stuck with" Texas A&M-Nebraska when power was restored,
     "angry" Notre Dame fans "flooded" ABC's Chicago affil "with
     calls of protest," according to Ed Sherman of the CHICAGO
     TRIBUNE.  ABC Dir of Media Relations Mark Mandel, on the
     decision: "When you've got the upset of the year and the
     other game is one-sided, you stick with the more compelling
     game."  Mandel "acknowledged" it was unlikely ABC would have
     switched the games if there was no power outage (CHICAGO
     TRIBUNE, 10/11).  Fiesta Bowl Exec Dir John Junker said the
     blackout will lead to officials studying the facility. 
     Junker: "Thank goodness this isn't a night game, and thank
     goodness this isn't January 4" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 10/12).