As final exams draw to a close and the pomp and circumstance of graduation steps into the limelight, discussion inevitably revolves around. "What are you doing next year?" "Oh, the law school huh? No, I'm taking next year off to make the European swing." Basically, conversation gets very tedious.

Not one to upset the tedium of Harvard tradition, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the real world holds in store for Harvard and Radcliffe's graduating athletes.

With the expansion of leagues in virtually any sport you can think of, the opportunity for Crimson seniors is improving with the addition of every new team to the pro market. Next year is also an Olympic year so any sport which hasn't yet been eaten up by the "let's start a new league" machine is still open to participation by Harvard and Radcliffe's top senior athletes.

Post-college activities for Harvard's gridironers involve only three seniors: Pat McInally, Mike Page, and Rob Shaw.

After the College All-Star game in August McInally will report to the Cincinnati Bengals' training camp. Although he doesn't have a no-cut contract, McInally is confident of making the squad.

"The odds are great I will kick off for them," he said yesterday, "but of course. I'll be trying out for a split end position."

Page will report to the Dallas Cowboys training camp to vie for a defensive backfield position, and Shaw said yesterday he has signed with the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League.

Futures are even less certain for athletes from the winter arenas as both the pro leagues are winding down their seasons (thank heavens) and the ensuing drafts are still a few weeks away.

The NBA draft might see Lou Silver's name pop up. Otherwise, seniors Silver, Arnie Needleman and Mike Griffin are all considering playing ball in Europe, Needleman said yesterday.

Pro contacts have been flying around Watson Rink for a while now, but "indefinite" best describes the current status of Harvard icemen. Captain Randy Roth was invited to come to the Buffalo Sabres' rookie camp, but Roth is "pretty sure" he will decline the offer and return to Kitchener, Ontario, hotbed of hockey greats, and hometown of Milt Schmidt, to a management training position.

Flyer

Other skaters off to rookie camps include Ted Thorndike, who will be going to the Philadelphia Flyers camp. Dave Gautier, who will be traveling to Les Habients, and Ed Rossi, who has his sights on hitting both the Maple Leafs' camp and the U.S. Olympic camp. Winger Jim McMahon is on the L.A. Kings' negotiation list but is presently leaning toward the Olympic tryouts.

Swimming captain Dave Brumwell said yesterday. "I'm all washed up" and that he does not intend to go the Olympic route. Radcliffe Captain Nancy Sato is however considering staying around and doing some serious diving with the Olympics in mind. Sato finished 20th in the nationals this winter.

Vince Vanderpool Wallace will return to the Bahamas this summer and try out for the Bahamas team in the Pan American games. Vanderpool-Wallace said yesterday. "I don't think the Olympic qualifying distance in the long jump will be much of a problem for me if I get in some training." Vanderpool-Wallace has already cleared 25 feet in the event. Junior Mel Embree said he will also "definitely try out for the Olympic team."

The main sports in the spring that may find candidates for post graduate work in the athletic field are baseball and crew as the lacrosse squad had only four seniors and tennis, track, golf were not studded with professional-or-world-class players. The lack of senior women on Radcliffe athletic teams also rules them out of active sports, action next year. But Radcliffe does have a number of underclasswomen who are serious contenders for seats in the national crew team.

The baseball draft is coming up June 10 and candidates for the big league include Leigh Hogan, Joe Sciolla, Milt Holt, and Jimmy Thomas. Ed Durso and Don Driscoll are also possibilities although Driscoll said yesterday he doubted he would be drafted and is intending on working to get into Med school next year.

Hogan said he might try to hitch on to a club this summer even if he isn't grabbed to the draft. Thomas is thinking in terms of playing for Canada in the Pan Am games this fall.

Newell boathouse may well produce the most successful post-grad athletes as stroke Al Shealy will undoubtedly return to his oar on the National boat and Dick Cashin will follow suit. Both oarsmen will be in England next year--Shealy at Oxford, and Cashin at Cambridge--and the possibility of their returning in time for the Olympics is great. Greg Stone hopes to go the Olympic route sculling, and Tiff Wood will probably be aiming for the eight. And that's the wrap-up from the where-will-they-be-next-year department.