
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1995                   TAG: 9501180064
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BLACK COACHES DECLARE WAR

Nolan Richardson, the basketball coach at Arkansas, says black athletes must understand they are being neglected by the NCAA.

Richardson made the remarks after the Black Coaches Association said Monday it has given up on working with the NCAA and will turn to outside groups for help in attacking what it considers to be inequities in college athletics. The BCA said it would urge those groups to try to influence black athletes in their choice of schools.

``If I'm an athlete and I know what's going on and you don't have my best interests at heart, we're going to do something,'' Richardson said. ``I'm going to go somewhere the people have my best interest at heart.''

Richardson said student-athletes could do several things, from not attending schools that oppose the BCA's agenda to boycotting athletic events.

``They can do many things until they get those conscious of what's happening up on top to address the problem of what's happening on the bottom,'' Richardson said.

Delegates at the NCAA convention this month in San Diego refused to back down from the push for reform and approved tougher eligibility standards for incoming student-athletes.

The BCA opposes using performance on standardized college entrance examinations, such as the American College Test or Scholastic Assessment Test, as part of those criteria, contending they are culturally biased.

``We're requesting our membership to no longer engage in senseless dialogue or debates on academic standards,'' the BCA said in a statement. ``While there is well-documented evidence that the test data supports our position, it is also important to note that the BCA is not against the SAT or ACT test. However, we are opposed to how the test is being used.''

Richardson said the coaches' association is not opposed to a requirement that a high school athlete pass 13 core courses or achieve a 2.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

``Now you tell me, if I go to school and bust my butt for four years and you rule me out because of a test?'' Richardson said. ``You mean to say I got a 2.5 in 13 core courses, but I have to pass a test with a sliding scale? That just doesn't make sense, and we feel that's taken opportunity away.''

by CNB