Blazers nestle in for average year
It's about 40 games into the
NBA season for most teams
now. and high, preseason
promises have had their chance
to either blossom (Sacramento,
I..A l-akers, Utah. Orlando) or
wilt away as most do (Golden
State, Milwaukee. Atlanta).
But the thing we Oregonians
c an really appreciate about the
National Basketball Association
is the very special gift they gave
us some 25 years ago — a
mediocre basketball team.
I'm neither a Blazer fan nor
am I one of those individualists
who thinks it's hip to despise
the Blazers. But no matter where
1 stand in the Blazer scheme of
things. I can't help noticing how
incredibly average the Blazers
continue to be year in and year
out.
So with 38 games under their
belt this year, the mighty Trail
Blazers are 20-18, a .526 clip.
And last year, surprisingly
enough, they were 23-15 at this
point in the season.
I'm actually one to stick up for
the Blazers from time to time.
They won the whole shebang in
Chris Mn /
1976-77 Not too had Just ask
Dallas. Atlanta or the Clippers
how cool it would be for them to
have just one NBA Chatnpi
onahip banner raised to their
rafters, such as the Blazers do
Perhaps Janet Jackson puts it
best though, when she begs the
eternal question, "What have
you done for me lately?"
It hasn't been that long ago
when Portland seemed just a
breath away from another title
Oh so close in 1990, and as a
token visitor against the Bulls in
1992. the Blazers and their fans
are not that far removed from
success on a major scale.
Blazer fans should look at it
this way — at least things are a
bit easier to gauge these days.
For as sum ns the sun shine* and
the day is long, it's safe to bet
that the Blazer*, for the third
year in a row, will be nowhere
near the top of the heap when
the season is all -und and done
About the only interesting
things that have happened this
season have been off the court
(e\< ept for Hod Strickland's best
Kix k\ impressionagainst olden
Polyline) Trade demands, front
office shifts and new arena s
have hidden the fact that
A P J Carlesiitio hasn't
turned around the franchise
overnight like tome had hoped.
B The Blazers still haven't
traded for anybody, or more
importantly, gotten rid of any
body
C. Finally, you can drink a
beer in the seating area at the
Memorial Coliseum — a net es
sity to stomaching any game that
Chris Dudley is involved with
Damon Stoudamiros com
ments on Monday guaranteeing
a victory over Oregon at
Mi Arthur Court confuse me a
little bit Mure and more these
days, hokey comments such as
thss seem to pop up Does
Michael Irvin ring a boll'? It's
dist ouraging to see people react
to them, because they're just that
— comments
After further analysis, the one
thing Stoudamirn probably
didn't need to do was to give the
Mac (-i>urt faithful any mom rea
son to get up for the big clash A
sellout crowd, already ( homp
trig at the bit for a shot at Ari
zona. will undoubtedly give
Stoudaimre a wonderful wel
come in tonight's game ns a
result of his promises of victory
So much for his hornet tuning
I would also think that the
Wildcats' 3-2 Pac-JO record
would worry Stoudaimre and
the rest of his team at least a lit
tie bit 1 know it's early in the
season, but I would certainly
expect Arizona to tome into
Mat; Court with a speak softly
and tarry a big sink" kind of
attitude
Chris Metn is the sports editor
for lhr Emerald
Sapolu savors chance at a fourth rinq
MIAMI (AP) — Of all the players in Sun
day’s Super Bowl, only Jesse Sapolu has a
chance to win his fourth ring, and he's
dividing his time between looking forward
to the prospect and looking back on how he
got this far,
“Just to see the elite group I will join if I
win my fourth Super Bowl ring, it almost
humbles you." the San Francisco 49ors left
guard said Wednesday
"You almost feel like, 'Do 1 deserve it' A
lot of players don't have one and worked just
as hard as 1 am.' It's just one of those things
that 1 sit in my room and think about it, lie
thankful about it."
Sapolu was a member of the 4llers' last
three Super Bowl teams, though he was
injured for San Franc isco’s victory over Mia
mi following the 1084 season. Joe Montana.
Mike Wilson, Keena Turner. Ronnie laitt and
Kric Wright are the only players who played
on all four San Francisco Super Bowl teams
"This year, 1 apprec iate it a lot more," said
Sapolu. who will be matched up against San
Diego Chargers’ defensive tackle Shawn Fee
in the Sti(>er Bowl
"When W'e won them back to track the last
SUPER BOWL
49ers vs. Chargers
JANUARY 29, 1995
I i m e .
you
almost
M Ilka
t h »
S u p e r
B o w l
trophy
belongs
to you,"
he uid
'' VV h i? n
y o u ‘ r e
a w a v
from it for a long turn* ami have another
team step up and try to take over dominance,
you're just so hungry that you appret iate
coming t>ai k
Sapolu is < barat ten site of San Francis* o's
quit knt’ss and agility all along the offensive
tine, which struggled early in the season
because of a rash of injuries only to key the
•tiers' resurgence when it returned to health
"They work together like a machine." said
Chargers' defensive tackle Reuben Davis
"They know each other's movements and in
Steve Young they have a great quarterback
back there He can get the liall out there in a
short amount of time and a lot of times they
don't have to block for very long "
Added I ee "I think they fit in well with
what they do They're not that big. but for
the style they play, they don't need to tie
San Francisco is returning to the Super
Howl for the first time since su< i essivu vic
tories following the t'lHH and seasons
There's no doubt in tny mind we're going
to win this game, no doubt in my mind."
Sapolu said "I'm not going to say the word
'guarantee' but I wouldn't lie here if I didn't
Ihink we re going to win Iks ause we knovs
we re good enough to win. and to tell you
the truth. 1 hope San Diego feels the same
way.”
Sapolu enters the game coming off con
m'i utive i'm How i seasons, ai bowed it i en
ter in l'l'H and at left guard this season It
was a switc h he made to help the team make
up for the free agenc y loss of (.u> Me Intyre
by signing another free agent, center Hart
( kites
"There aren't many players in this league
who are asked to say. 'Yeah, you're an all
pro at this position I ant s move you to some
new position. Make that sac rifii.e for the
team," Oates said
■ WEDNESDAY’S TRANSACTIONS
BASEBALL
AL
■ CALIFORNIA ANGELS- Sgned Lance
Reborns, second baseman
NL
■ FLORIDA MARLINS- -Announced a one
rear nrortung agreement *>th the Campeche
Pvaias o) the Meucan Summer League,
electee Feb t
FOOTBALL
NFL
■ ClEVELANO BROWNS- Promoted Ret
Ventun. secondary coach, to de*ensrv* coordr
natar Named Jen Bases defensive assstant
coach
■ NEW YORK JETS-Retamed Richard
Mann to coach recovers and agw ends
■ PITTSBURGH STEELERS-Named Ok*
LeBeau defensive coordinator
CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
■ Mf MPHIS—Named I'(KW ftodgen
coeeh
ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
■ ST LOUS STAMPEDE -Signed John
Kaieo. quarterback; and Gene Tnonaj Oanyf
Hammond and Ban> Aagn*x mde 'eceneri
Aarved Faianda Newton, safety, John
Shannon, tnaman. Jeny Wood* wo» '«can
•r
HOCKEY
RCXLER HOCKEY
■ ANAHEiM BULLFROGS—Named Chm
McSortey »ector o> player personnel
MORSE RACING
■ NEW YORK RACING ASSOCIATION—
Announced resignations of Brnc* Lombard,
racing secretary, and Renard HamAcn. slew
a«2. effective the middle of February
SOCCER
NATIONAL PRO LEAGUE
■ NPSl--Suspended Ffanfckn Mclmosh.
Ba&more mxiMder. kn one game and fined
him an undadosed amour.! Ice kghtmg m a
game on Jan 22 Fined Fk* Bush. Jon P»ry,
Kevin Steer U*e Stankov*. Omd Namar.
Chns Morgan. Lance Johnson. Jam* Onst*.
Bead Smith. Bany $eu. Jason Owter. Derrick
Marcarw. Bah.more payers, and Dave
MacWifeams, Bafcmore coat*, an undndosed
amount. to» leaving the bench ce (NTtopang
m (he a?tercabon
M DAYTON DYNAMO- Feed Terry f*chdl
coach
Continental Index* Soccer League
■ MEXICO TOFtOS- Named Jorge E spwira
coach
TENNIS
■ UNITED STATES Tf NMS ASS0C1A
TON- Named Ja atoms to the nabonal
piayer dev«ttpr*nt coacNng stafT
COLLEGE
■ ASHt ANO—Nar*o Davit Ovm t»»si
taS ooatfi k* th* r«l ot tbs
■ ElAtlOR-PforwIed H#*y Mito. men's
mlwtm taskasal coacfv to men's basketball
coacb and signed h*m to a ttveyear contract
■ CtEMSON—Named Tieva Ada» soccer
ooach
■ M06ART-Announced the ttsignahjn ot
W*am Mai»«8. tooftal coach N*ned
Ucfjei Oagg tootbaH coach
■ WEST VIRGINIA - Announced iNe resign*
bon o! U*e Jacobs assistant tootb#* coach,
to take a simter post a ONo Stats
January 26, 1995
Volume lX>, Iiiik 85
Names in the game
AM VV A!’)
Half-speed lastbatis" ilia!
went jus! 55 feet brought a
srmie to (he face ot Colorado
Rockies pacher
Armanoa ncynoto
Reynoso throw from a
pitching mound for the first
time in more than eight
months to catcher Jayhawk
Owens 5 teet >n front of home
plate After 45 pitches
Reynoso was beaming
I've been working for this
moment," said Reynoso, who
tore the ulnar collateral liga
ment m his fight elbow Mi*y
20 l didn’t think about it I’m
going to feel bad Just think
positively This wilt give me
more motivation because I've
been looking to progress "
LOS ANGELES (AP)
Magic Johnson and his
wife Cookie, have adopted a
baby gel
I tie adoption took place in
Michigan last week, John
son's agent. Lon Rosen, said
Wednesday Trie baby, f hsa.
is 2 to 3 weeks old
Mamed three years ago
the couple also have a 2
year old son. f arvin III The
retired Los Angeles Lakers
star, from a previous relation
•.hip also has a son Andre,
13 who live-, with hi<> mother
m Michigan.
ATlANIA(Af’) Denver
: Shannon
Sharpen' ; • *? .«•» ,!
taco one count each of sim
ple battery after an alterca
tion at his home in northeast
Atlanta
Mane Arc 1 > ee also was
charged with one count of
destruction of property,
Atlanta police spokesman
Benjamin Sims said.
Young takes Player
of the Year
MI AM I (AC) :,•) Y O'. - ■' t j
joined former teammate Joe
Montana on Wednesday as
the only two winner of
the NR Player of the Year
Award
ft's an amazing thing.
Young said the second
time makes it even more
artvt/mg '*
Ttie San Francisco 49ers'
quarterback also won the
award m 1992 Montana was
the wmnor in 1989 and 1990
The 49ers will taco San
D ogo m Sunday's Super
Bowl at Joe Robbie Stadium
San Francisco set a team
scoring record, and Young
set an NR. record with a
quarterback rating of 112 8
fn a lot of ways l was abto
to get votes because our
offense i$ so great." Young
said And they think. Welt,
thea offense is so groat, let s
give it to Steve Young '
"I don't teet like it's |ust me
It it was just mo. I don't think I
would make it"