Binghamton University - Colonist / Pegasus Yearbook (Vestal, NY)

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THERIGHT STUFF Exceeded Expectations, National Attention, and Increased Fan Support Make 1983-84 a Banner Year in Sports at SUNY-Binghamton. BY RONNY KLEMPNER By the twelfth day of Christmas, the Athletic Department gave to me: 12 bounced Hawaiian days 11 men's soccer victories 10 goals in one game 9 wins for the women boolers 8 volleyball service aces in a game e 7 pointsinal e UeS eH-ious IM Foolball victory 6 women's tennis state champions 5 racially motivated directives 4 dollars for a basketball 3 new hoops coaches 2 women's cross-country All-Americans + And Colonial Woody in a Psycho Squad t-shirt Twas the semester before Chrisimas and a whole damn lot was stirring in the SUNY-B sports world. Teams were schizophrenic, winning when they were supposed to lose and losing when they were supposed romp. The national spotlight focused on SUNY-B sports more than once. And in perhaps the biggest sports news in recent history here, racial allegations caused the dismissal of John Affleck, Colonial varsity basketball coach for 11 years. Athletic Director Dr. Nell Jackson felt John Affleck should stop dreaming of a white Christmas. She issued Affleck several direc- tives he would have to comply withuifihe wanted to keep his job, including from ethnic groups and hiring ag assistant coach. Affleck thought tives were unfair and asked to gos with his boss. Jackson refused. replaced. Of course, all these details dign until long after the actual moge then the news came from Af day, the department refuses the move. Jackson subjeete harsh criticism from the I print and electronic mediasi People wanted explanations: i know why the move was mad nothing was said. They wantet the media was never formall wanted to know why Jack the summer to make the moy was allowed to do all the recrt he was allowed to plan a.: Hawaii. Of course, that trip - a game against famous Chaminade was cance Above: An elated Mike Greene embraces LxUSxH teammate Ralph Zottola after winning IM title. players were let down. Some of the recruits were quite upset to find that the man who brought them here was gone. And it was too late for Affleck to seek employment elsewhere. Apparently Jackson, who is black, felt there was not enough minority involvement in the basketball program, a place that should be the front-runner in minority athletic in- teraction. She thought blacks were staying raway from the team because of Affleck. And 'she felt that Affleck lost too many games. Though he only had three of 11 winning seasons, Jackson may have missed the mark in her racial allegations. At one point or Lanother in the '82-'83 season, four blacks were varsity starters and the season before that, Daryll Buford, who is black, was the team's co-captain. Several outstanding black B players in the school were not playing varsity ball in '82-'83, but there were reasons, and most of them did not involve the coach. Frustration and rage still burn inside Affleck, who insists he will forever remain bitter. While Jackson might have missed the mark with Affleck, she was right on target by . choosina Dave Archer as Affleck's suc- cessor. An honest, intelligent and winning personality, Archer was so enthused with the job that he was glad the hiring came only a few weeks before the start of practices this way he wouldn't have to wait so long. All this, after people called him and offered con- dolences for accepting the job and entering into the wild, wild world of SUNY-B sports. In his debut, Archer and new assistant Mike Prosinski unleashed a lightning quick running game that ran to a first round victory in SUNY-B's tip-off tourney. The Colonials fell to New Jersey power Upsala, one of the best teams in Division Ill, by only three points in the final. Upsala featured a 7-foot and a 6-11 center, and its front line averaged 6-9, bigger across the front than the Knicks, Nets and 76ers. SUNY-B's tallest player, Marty Young, is 6-6, and the Upsala centers managed only three total points. Archer, who before the game admitted that he didn't know who in- vited Upsala to the tournament but it was cer- tainly before he was named coach, seemed to have his team prepped for perhaps its best season ever. New women's basketball coach E. Leon Coates was also as optimistic. Continued on page 110