Bleier appears before m k enthusiastic crowd, reflects on career by Cathy Nolan came to N.D. in 1964, Ara had just Staff Reporter come in, too, and brought football back to Notre Dame. Speaking before an enthusiastic “ Before every game, I used to crowd at Washington Hall last say a prayer at the Grotto,” Bleier night. Rocky Bleier, Senior Class said. “ I asked for two things: iFellow, stressed the importance of either let me be All-American, or a “ setting attainable goals” and team captain." Bleier was chosen ’putting things in the right priori­ team captain. He contributed his ty ." responsibilities as captain as “ hav­ Bleier, presently a fullback for ing helped him to look at his life” the Pittsburgh Steelers, reflected and “ put him in the right direc­ on his four years at Notre Dame, tio n .” his football career, and his tour of Obseruniversity of noire dame st morys college duty in Vietnam. Bleier said it was a “ privilege to come back as a Vol. X, No. 119 Tuesday, April 13, 1976 Senior Class Fellow, but I didn’t know if he really deserved the Tryouts may be reheld recognition.” Commenting on coeducation at Notre Dame, Bleier said, “ Notre Dame hasn’t really changed for me. The only difference I noticed is New cheerleaders that now when I speak, I must say hello ladies and gentlemen, instead by Jim Commyn of just hello, gentlemen." Staff Reporter Bleier recalled an earlier visit he made to Notre Dame in 1969. "I The Notre Dame cheerleaders was on leave from the service, so I arc currently under fire because of decided to come back for the the procedures used in selecting ND-USC game. They asked me to ROCKY BLEIER the 1976-77 squad. Tryouts con­ speak at the pep rally,” Bleier cluded Iasi Friday night with the stated. “ It was really an emotional Reflecting on his professional selection of the 12-member squad thing for me to come back and football career, Bleier recalled his and one leprechaun. speak.” first day at practice. "The coaches In a meeting in the Black Bleier continued, “ I was asked to started off by telling us we were no Cultural Arts Center in LaFortune present the flag to the honor guard good and then we spent the entire last night, representatives of both before the game. There I was on day going over the basics. At the sides discussed the issue. The the field with Father Hesburgh, end o f the day, I was so mad, group included the cheerleaders who must have just flown in, and knowing that tomorrow I’d have to and over fifty students represent­ before we got started, Hesbugh do the same.” ing over 400 students who had had to ask the class president who 1 In 1969 Bleier was drafted into signed a petition to protest the way w as.” the armed forces and sent to I he final selections had been made. The basic difference between Vietnam. “ Everybody always savs The controversy stems from cer­ college students today and his how busy and active duty in tain violations in the cheerleaders classmates, Bleier noted, is a Vietnam is, but our activity was constitution governing tryout pro­ greater interest today in world really boring,” Bleier commented. cedures. The petition also includes events. “ I came out of the 1960’s “ I was able to finish the complete four counts of moral and ethical apolitical,” Bleier said. “ It wasn’t works of Hemingway, Faulkner and violations against the management until 1 went to Vietnam that 1 Fitzgerald.” and handling of this year’s tryouts. became aware of what was going In A ugust 1969 Bleier was in ju r According to the constitution, on in the world.” ed in combat activity. He spent which was drawn up and approved Selection of the 1976-77 cheerleading squad took place last weekend. Bleier, a 1968 N.D. graduate, three weeks in a Tokoyo hospital by the 1975-76 cheerleading squad Inconsistencies in the tryout regulations have delayed the official majored in Business Administra­ and was shipped to Fort Riley and is the first of its kind, nine announcement of squad members. (Photo by Zenon Bidzinski) tion. “ I majored in business for Kansas. There, he formulated his “ ceiling philosophy” (he had to lie points were established to control candidates, comprised of 65 to 70 two reasons: I didn't want to take a females to about 15. On Friday the on his back for weeks). tryouts. The points include specifi­ women and 20 to 25 males, language, and, the second reason, I squad of five males and five After leaving the armed services, cations concerning the number of eliminations procedqd in the fol­ thought business administration females was selected to complete Bleier returned to pro football. He judges, the use of a point system, lowing pattern. No males were sounded professional,” Bleier the squad headed by Flank Carrico said his reason for returning was the consideration of injuries, the eliminated in the first cut. After commented jokingly. and Becky Bracken, who had threefold: “ First, I didn’t want to tabulation process, and signed the first cut the number of women If he had the chance to relive his earlier been elc ed co-captains disappoint my parents; secondly, I statements by all finalists promis­ was lowered to approximately 30. college years, Bleier said, he would and were thus cemp’ed from didn’t want to face failure; and ing to uphold the constitution. The second cut lowered the number like to take more reading courses. finally, it was the only thing I could From an original field o f over 100 of males to ten and the number of (Conti ed on page 3) “ Whatever you do, reading is important,” Bleier emphasized. really do well.” “ My wife has a doctorate in Bleier concluded his speech by psychology. She is a good reader reemphasizing the need for “ con­ Hearst’s sentence delayed; more and has excellent retention. I stantly reviewing yourself’ and married her so that she could “ setting goals, so that when you answer all my questions,” he achieve them, you have somewhere asychiatric tests to be performed added jokingly. else to go.” Bleier currently works for the At the end of the speech, Bill by Linda Deutsch firearm in a felony - 35 years. U.S. Marshal Frank X. Klein National Association for Retarded Macauley, Senior Fellow commit­ Associated Press W riter Carter said, however, he plans to said after the court proceedings Children. As a senior at Notre tee chairman, presented Bleier reduce that penalty when the Miss Hearst would undergo the Dame, he became involved in with a Senior Class Fellow t-shirt. SAN F RANCISCO (AP) - Patricia heiress comes before him for final psychiatric evaluations at the mental retardation. “ I had to The day’s activities, commemorat­ Hearst’s judge delayed final sen- sentencing - “ How much, I am not Metropolitan Correctional Center spend the summer here, furthering ing Bleier’s visit to Notre Dame, fencing on her bank robbery con- now prepared to say.” in San Diego. my education; so to keep busy, 1 concluded with a reception at the viction yesterday and ordered the As outlined by Carter, the opt- He said the bank robber-heiress started working at the Northern Senior-Alumni Bar. heiress committed to a federal ions include 25 years with the would be flown to Los Angeles Indiana Children's Hospital,” institution for extensive psychiatric maximum sentences served con- tomorrow for a pretrial hearing on Bleier reminisced. studies. currently, probation with no further state kidnaping, robbery and as­ "A t the end of my senior year, 1 The surprise move by U.S. jail term, or anything in between. sault charges stemming from a went up to a steering committee in This is the last issue of District Court Judge Oliver J. In explaining his choices, the crime spree there a month after the Minnesota concerned with organiz­ the Observer to be pub­ Carter prolonged the suspense judge sternly indicated his own Hibernia Bank holdup. ing youths all over the country,” lished before Easter. The surrounding the ultimate fate of the view that Miss Hearst’s conviction She will be taken to the federal Bleier continued. From this visit, staff wishes you a good kidnap victim-turned-bandit. as a willing bank robber was facility in San Diego after the Los Bleier developed the idea for a break, but feels it only "The court finds that it requires sustained by the evidence in her Angeles hearing, Klein said. youth center in South Bend, spon­ fair to warn you: more detailed information before it eight-week trial. His comments In brief comments after the sored by Notre Dame and Saint can make a final determination of made it appear that the 65-year-old hearing, Bailey mentioned in pas­ Mary’s students. The center was sentence to be imposed,” Carter jurist was not inclined toward sing Miss Hearst’s potential eventually developed and is known explained. leniency at this time. “ cooperation” with law enforce­ today as Logan Center. He chose a course of action Three weeks ago, a jury found ment authorities as a possible Commenting on the social life at suggested by Miss Hearst’s chief the 22-year-old Miss Hearst guilty mitigating factor in her sentencing. Notre Dame, Bleier mentioned, attorney, F. Lee Bailey, who urged of willingly joining Symbionese The judge said he would not “ Frankie’s, Sweeney’s and St. a "further in depth medical eval- Liberation Army members in rob- consider that issue now.