Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 6, 1991 TAG: 9102060294
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"We worked it out in a matter of minutes," team president Mike McCaskey said of the new deal, worth an average of about $1 million a year, according to a report on WBBM-TV.
Ditka, coach of the Bears since 1982, was on his way to Palm Springs, Calif., for a golfing vacation.
After 14 years, the All American Bowl went out of business because of tougher NCAA rules, but Birmingham, Ala., leaders announced "a full-court press" to land the SEC's championship game.
Pete Clemens, All American Bowl president, said directors of the Birmingham Football Foundation opted to drop the bowl because of two NCAA rule changes. Under the new rules, a bowl team must have at least six victories against Division I-A opponents and the minimum payout for each team was increased from $600,000 to $750,000 by 1993.
With so many bowls, "getting quality teams is getting harder, and paying them is harder. There is a glut of bowl games," Clemens said.
Clemens said the foundation and other groups will try to lure the SEC's title game, to be played for the first time in 1992, to Legion Field. The SEC, which is headquartered in Birmingham, has set a Feb. 18 deadline for applications.
With the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina to the conference, the SEC will be divided into two divisions, starting next season in basketball and in 1992 in football.
Houston quarterback David Klingler has been selected winner of the Sammy Baugh Award as the nation's top college quarterback. The Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio, announced the award, which will be presented Feb. 15.
by CNB