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Portland Observer Thursday, April 20, 1978 Page 5
Sports Talk
Ron Sykes,
S.ierts Editor
A reality, Portland vs. Seattle, some
are already calling it one of the fiercest
rivalries in pro sportu. After eight years
the Pacific Northwest can now boast of a
series that may even surpass that of the
old New York Yankee vs. Brooklyn
Dodger rivalry of yesteryear. That one
was called a “subway series"...now we
have our “freeway series.” It will be
interesting.
ta 19 minutes ef play ta
Ltovd Neal «cored 9
Tuesdays U m ta tbe Seattle Seales. Neal
the fourth quarter as
attempted to
Books outline Blazer success
Are you * Trail Blazer fan? Then you
need to know more about your favorite
learn. Timber Press is now releasing
three new books which will give you the
insider's story about the 1977 NBA
Champions.
Jack Ramsay, coach of the Trail Blaz
ers. tells how he brought his team to
victory in his book "The Coach's Art."
Ramsay relates his climb up the coaching
ladder from the Philadelphia *76ers and
the Buffalo Braves to the championship
winning Trail Blazers. Basketball fans
will especially enjoy the detailed account
of the team's preparation for their win
ning season. Jack Ramsay has written
this book for fans, as well as roaches,
which gives a clear behind the scenes
picture of the coaching world.
Teams are not born but brought
together as individuals to become one
unit. This is the goal of every basketball
coach and is exemplified by only the best
teams. The Trail Blazers achieved this
unity and became champions. In “Idol
Time” Larry Alton, along with former
professional basketball player Tom Mes
chery, tell this story. It’s about the
team's interaction with their fans, the
heroes created and the people who do
(and don't) worship them. It follows the
Trail Blazers from the court to the locker
room and the endless hotel rooms. This is
an exciting story that shouldn't be missed
by any sports fan.
Harry Glickman's “Promoter Ain't a
Dirty Word" gives a backroom look at the
business of sports, the ways professional
teams are organized and operated in
today's world of high salaried players.
Glickman has been a professional man
ager of ice hockey, boxing, and basket
ball. With this varied experience Glick
man gives his sometimes controver
sial opinions and pulls the lid off of the
sports business. This is a must for all
sports fans - giving a new and seldom
seen angle of the sports world.
M o u n t E v e re s t is e x e c tly
29,000 feet high. Surveyors
worried that the public would
consider this an sstimats, so
th e y fa ls e ly re p o rte d the
height as 29,002 fM t.
So it’s no surprise that the World
Champion Trail Blazers started the sea
son the way they finished the last one,
extending their home court winning
streak, losing road games only on rare
occasions and making folly of the league
standings.
But then along came injuries. The team
became mortal when Walton, Lucas, Neal
and then Gross checked out.
Now it's play-off time and the Sonics to
worry about. Seattle appears to be both
confident and cocky after knocking off the
Lakers two games to one in the first
mini-series.
Seattle should be cocky because
they've just defeated a team composed
of: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adrian Dant-
ley, Jamaal Wilkes, Charlie Scott, and
Lou Hudson. On paper, LA, should
never have been beaten by the Sonics.
But games are still won and lost on the
floor. So be it.
Lenny Wilkens, ex-Blazer Coach and
Director indicated that he did not have
that information available as of this
writing, but that he would honor a
request for a copy under the freedom of
information act. The Observer is making
a written request for that material from
both federal and regional offices.
THE MATCH-UPS
Johnny Johnson vs. Larry Steele
Johnson, a steady eight year veteran
with little play-off experience, but the
possessor of a deadly jumper, when on
will completely out-class Larry Steele, a
seven year veteran, who played poorly in
last years play-offs. Johnson is a better
all-around player and should make life
tough for the ¿ 5 Steele. The key at small
forward will be Corky Calhoun in relief of
Steele. Calhoun can do the job. The edge
to Johnson by a wide margin.
Jack Sikma vs. Maurice Lucas
Sikma has developed into a solid NBA
player but has a long, long way to go in
order to play with Lucas. Give the edge
to Maurice. Handily.
Centers: Marvin Webster is much
improved and will hit the boards hard on
both ends of the court. However, a
Walton at 75 percent will prove to be the
equal of a Marvin Webster. The razors
edge to the crippled Walton.
Guards: Lionel Hollins and Johnny
Davis together are the best guard combo
in all of basketball. Enough said.
Blazer Highlights
Seattle 104 - Blazers 95
Game one to Seattle.
CETA investigation
(Continued from Page 1 Column 6)
still not filled. “The whole Bureau will be
reevaluated and reorganized, but," adds
Ms. Petite, “money was not misspent. . .
and we (werel not out of contract
compliance. . .(although) CETA is over
spent by one million dollars already this
year." Admitting that there had also
been some discrimination. Ms. Petite said
that there were “adequate procedures in
place,” to correct the problems.
Asked if these reasons led to a Mayoral
request for Frankels' letter of resigns
tion. Ms. Petite would only indicate that
“He (Frankel) was probably tired of the
position. He's been in there (CETA) for
five years and the Bureau is much larger
now than it was then." Frankels' position
is to be reviewed and filled through
the normal civil service process, accord
ing to Ms. Petite.
But what of the civil rights that have
admittedly been violated? Even if the
procedure is adequate, why should the
aggrieved be forced to a delay of years
for compensation that often results in lost
witnesses and frustration of those rights,
some of the complainants ask. Is the
procedure really “adequate" for everyone
concerned or should the struggle be for
"human rights” on an international stage
next? Their rules are for their game and
when we learn them, suddenly they
change.” A Black state employee said.
“We aren't winning anything this way.”
Meanwhile, the community is asking
about Frankels replacement, whether
the program will continue at all, whether
the Mayor will continue to manage, and
whether the truth about CETA and the
results of those investigative reviews will
ever become public.
When called by the Observer, Regional
D.O.L. Head, Wehmeyer. said that he
did not personally receive a call from the
Mayor, but that an Assistant might have.
“I did not take any action myself but
because of the number of grants we
administer, they (assistants) have the
latitude to act without reporting to me on
such matters." Asked about the results
of the reviews, the D.O.L. Regional
At full strength, the Blazers are vir
tually a perfect, well oiled machine.
They revolve around an active team
oriented center, Bill Walton. They have
the best and most powerful, power
forward in the game, Maurice Lucas. One
guard, Lionel Hollins, has size. 6-3, speed,
clutch shooting, the best in the NBA, and
the ability to defend all over the court.
The other guard, Johnny Davis has
lightening quick speed, a soft shooting
touch and the ability to go inside or pop
soft jumpers from far away places.
The bench, when healthy is superb.
Lloyd Neal is another muscleman who
possesses a soft jumper from the fifteen
foot range that's more deadly than the
venom of two rattlesnakes. Then there's
Tom Owens, the all-time opportunist,
who has little ability but appears to be
always in the right place at the right
time. Corky Calhoun, who flopped in
Phoenix, was waived in Los Angeles but
has become a big success in Portland.
Why? Calhoun is a very intelligent ball
player, who can shoot you into a ball
game, but will never shoot you out of a
game.
Corky will not make many
mistakes and seems quite at home in the
Jack Ramsay system.
now on his way to becoming the NBA
coach of the year spent the last day of the
regular season watching a crippled Port
land team have fun demolishing the
Lakert. While watching Lenny took
notes and apparently learned enough to
work for Seattle. Another vote for the
Ramsay way.
Since November 30th, the day Wilkens
succeeded Bob Hopkins as coach, the
team's image changed from the Stupor
Sonics to the Super Sonics.
The Sonics won seventy percent of
their games the last four months of the
season, going 42-18.
By comparison
Portland's record during the same period
was 42-21. And that is misleading due to
the injury factor. Seattle has been hot,
granted, but the Blazers will match up far
better then the Lakers. Jerry West has
repeatedly said that lack of speed in the
Laker backcourt was the main reason for
his teams failure. But realistically it was
West himself who failed to match up with
Seattle that caused his own defeat.
Lenny Wilkens started the rookie Jack
Sikma, 6-10 at forward, while West
countered with the 6-6 Wilkes and the 6-5
Dantley.
It wasn't until the fourth
quarter of the final game did he decide to
insert the 6-10 Dave Robisch...while
Robisch was effective the move was made
too late. Blame Jerry.
Well, the world didn't come to an end
and 800 million Chinese couldn’t care less,
but what did happen was a defeat at
home by the amazing Seattle Super
Sonics. Portland played terribly but give
the Sonics credit because Jack Sikma,
6-11 forward and Marvin Webster, a
legitimate seven footer played well.
Lucas, the most powerful of all power
forwards should just as well have re
mained at home on this night because his
effort was inept to say the least.
With Walton hurt, Maurice Lucas must
play a major role in all departments for
the Blazers to prevail. And 3-15 from the
floor, one assist, and key turnovers will
not do it. Two days rest must help B ill. . .
or you can close the curtain on Blazer-
mania and all title hopes for this year. . .
Willie Anderson, #12, tries to gain control of the ball during the Timbers 2-1 defeat
of the Colorado Caribous Wednesday night at Civic Stadium.
Caribous fall before Timbers
by Richard O’Toole
all-out attack strategy that proved to be
ineffective. When in the Timber penalty
area the Caribous were outnumbered as
The Portland Timbers jumped to a 2-0
Portland defenders clustered to help
lead at the half and managed to hold on
goalie Mick Poole.
for a 2-1 victory over the Colorado
One near miss by Colorado sent a hard
Caribous Wednesday night at Civic Sta
kicked ball off Poole’s chest to roll
dium.
threateningly in front of the goal about 7
The first half was all Portland. Crisp
yards out until Portland defender Keven
and well placed passes enabled the
Norman kicked it safely to the midfield.
Timbers to work the ball in effectively.
The Caribous controlled better in the
Ironically both scores came off relatively
second
half chalking up five of their eight
long passes. At 9:07 into the game
shots on goal. Their lone tally came at 15
Stewart Scullion's first of two goals came
minutes into the second half. Caribou
after a 20 yard pass from forward Clyde
Bob Rohrbach took a cross from fellow
Best. From the right side of the goal
forward Brian Tinnion and sent it into the
Scullion then sent the ball home to the
net on the left side just out of the reach of
lower left side.
a diving Mick Poole.
Scullion started the game at forward
The Timbers played without the ser
instead of his usual midfield position and vices of Archie Roboostoff who was
demonstrated the striking ability that
traded to the Oakland Stampers after
made him the Timbers top scorer last voicing c wish to be close to his home
year. Twenty-five minutes after the first town of San Jose.
goal Clyde Best managed a long pass
Saturday the Timbers blew leads of 1-0
from the right side that Scullion took and 2-1 as they lost to the San Diego
control of and positioned 20 yards in front Sockers who are undefeated. Portland
of the goal. With a quick fake he scooted failed to capitalize on several scoring
around defender Dave Clements and opportunities in the first half. The loss
pitched in another goal in much the same put them in the cellar of their division,
the National West. The next Timber
fashion as the first.
At the other end of the field the game is Saturday, April 22nd at 8:00 p.m.
Caribous kept the Timbers busy with an against the Rochester Lancers.
Robinson first frosh MVP
Cliff Robinson became the first fresh
man in USC basketball history to be
named the teams MVP. The 6-10 center
played extremely well against Oregon
Fri. April 21st
BLAZER PRE GAME
SHOW
8 PM
BLAZERS VS.
SONICS
8:30 PM
\X
Your ticket
for the
i
best seats
in town
o
I
X
“Ä 6
x l
and Oregon State averaging 18 points
and nearly 12 rebounds against the two
Oregon schools.