Relief, Sadness Over End of Program : Titan football: Sport’s suspension draws mixed emotions and some doubt that it will return in 1994 as targeted.

As the press conference to announce the fate of Cal State Fullerton football began Monday, Titan wrestling Coach Ardeshir Asgari had flashbacks of his recent court case, when he won a $1.3-million wrongful arrest suit against the Los Angeles Police Dept.

“It was like being in a jury trial waiting for the verdict,” Asgari said. “I had the same kind of feeling. I was nervous, sweaty, my hands were shaking.”

The future of Titan football would have a direct impact on the future of the wrestling program. If football were kept, it was likely wrestling would go, Athletic Director Bill Shumard said recently.

But when school President Milton Gordon said football would be suspended for 1993, with intentions of bringing it back at the Division I-AA level in 1994, and Shumard said wrestling would definitely remain, Asgari let out a sigh of relief.

“I felt like I had just won another $1.3 million,” Asgari said. “My guys are very happy. They’re really pumped up. I feel wrestling is here to stay.”

No one is sure whether football is gone for good, however. Fullerton geography professor Bill Puzo, who is an anomaly of sorts--a faculty member who supports football--is not confident the sport will return in 1994.

“Football is expensive, period, and there’s no reason to think that kind of money is going to be there to start it up again a year from now,” Puzo said. “This makes almost no one happy. It’s too bad.”

Former Fullerton City Councilman Dick Ackerman, a driving force behind the Titan Sports Complex project and chairperson of the athletic department’s $5-million fund drive, did some research on schools that drop football and found that few resume the sport.

“There’s no guarantee,” he said. “A lot of people were involved in the fund drive because of football, and this isn’t going to be favorably received by them.”

Reaction in the Titan athletic department was a mix of sadness for the loss of a sport and relief that football wouldn’t drag the other sports down financially.

“For anyone who believes in the value of sport, it’s sad when you drop opportunities,” Fullerton softball Coach Judi Garman said. “But there has to be a commitment from someone. You can’t keep manufacturing funds from air.”

Many coaches have expressed hope that a referendum for a fee increase to benefit athletics will be put before students next spring. Gordon said he hasn’t yet explored such a possibility but hasn’t ruled it out.

“Once something is gone , it’s extremely difficult to bring it back, but I hope football does come back,” Titan women’s gymnastics Coach Lynn Rogers said. “I hope students can accept more responsibility from a financial standpoint to upgrade this university.”

Rogers believes I-AA football can be successful at Fullerton.

“I think there are enough players in this area to field a team that will be exciting to watch and bring a group of supporters we haven’t had here in the past,” Rogers said. “The running back from Mater Dei or Servite who doesn’t get picked up by a major college has a chance to make it here.”

Gene Murphy, who retired in November after 13 seasons as Titan coach, said the only way football will succeed, no matter the level, is if it receives true support from the school and community.

“There has been a lot of lip service here in 13 years--some have backed what they’ve said and some haven’t,” Murphy said. “I would hope a new coach would get some real backing and not back-stabbing , because this can be a great place to play football.”