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SporTopiCNo Tears75? at LakelandiVfcBv BOB ROBERTS News-Herald Sports EditorIt’s finally over. Seven people in a unanimous vote hopefully buried for good the ugly and confusing maze Lakeland Community College became involved in 15 days ago when it tried to play a simple game called basketball.The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon. They were short and nobody cried. All it took was seven “eyes” and Lakeland kissed the Turnpike Athletic Conference goodbye — forever. No more TAC basketball. Hopefully, no more nightmares at the time line.The mood at Lakeland is now a lighter one. Everybody feels a great burden has been lifted from his shoulders.. During the hectic and grey days following the basketbrawl only glum faces walked through the Laker fieldhouse, fearful to laugh, fearful to talk.Laughter has returned but talk of the incident and the Student Affairs Committiee’s decision is minimum. Nobody really wants to be quoted and you can’t blame them. Lakeland has had enough publicity, and, most of it hasn’t been pleasant.However, rumors fly around the LCC campus as to the future of the Turnpike Athletic Conference, and, most important, the future of Lakeland basketball.There’s a good chance Lakeland may have beat the TAC to the fire escape for it’s believed the conference is about to die. Its disease? An incurable case of apathy.It’s not surprising. In past dealings with the TAC, just getting game results of the league members was a task of great difficulty. How many times can you recall seeing TAC standings in the paper? Not very often and that was because half the teams didn’t give a damn.“It probably will be gone by spring,” says one man close to the league. “There are a lot of guys upset with the way things have been going It is nearly impossible to accomplish anything in the TAC meetings.”No doubt Lakeland’s exit from the TAC may hasten its death. The Lakers were important members. They always fielded solid teams and played their home game in a first class building.The TAC will miss Lakeland more than Lakeland will ever miss the TAC.“I’m tickled that we’re out,” says one school spokesman. “We’ll play a good solid schedule and the players won’t miss the conference.”The reason Lakeland remained in the TAC in four other varsity sports is because the conference serves as a qualifier for post-season play. In junior college basketball, the regional is open to all.A good number of people have qquestioned the move. Why one foot in the TAC and one foot out? It’s a good question. Lakeland still will have to deal with Cuyahoga Community College Metro, a school it has publicly scolded for breaking a confidence on the initial meeting following the basketbrawl.One observer came up with an interesting question concerning Lakeland’s new TAC arrangement.“What happens if Lakeland and Metro are playing baseball and the game turns into a throw-at-th$-batter contest? If you’re going to get out, why not get all the way out?”Hopefully, that question will never need an answer for Lakeland and sport’s sake.
Newspaper Details
Willoughby News Herald
Willoughby, Ohio, US
Thu, Jan 25, 1973
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Akron S.
OH, USA 23 Sep 2017
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Willoughby News Herald
