Portland Observar January 18,1881 Paga 7
/Sports Talk
By Ron Sykes
Sports Editor
A game is a game is a game,
problem lie? W ho and where are
right? And a spade is a spade is a
the b right spots? This is an
spade, right? W rong! It only de
examination as we see the problem
pends on who’ s looking at the par
from a brown-eyed view.
ticular object.
C EN TER S
A couple o f days ago, an article
Tom O w e n s - Tom plays center
appeared in the local papers, written
but does none o f the things a center
by a yokel o f whom I think more o f
should do. Owens would be in big
ten than not, sees the game o f
trouble in a foot race with a turtle.
basketball through biased and
I f Tom were in a frog jumping con
prejudiced eyes.
test along with nine frogs, he would
This w rite r, whom I w ill not
be odds on favorite to finish tenth.
name, takes pride in “ dow ning" a
Centers are suppose to protect the
few Black members o f the
middle, block shots, and rebound.
Trailblazers squad. How these guys > Tom does none o f the above, yet he
can continue to grant interviews to
continues to start. This, along with
this man remains a puzzle to me.
hi^renewed contract, continues to
But, that’ s not the basis o f this ar
baffle us.
ticle, so we w on’ t go into that; at
K evin K u n n e rt - Kevin is
least not at the present.
everything that Owens isn't. Kun
This w rite r, the “ local y o k e l’ ’
nert is undoubtedly the best Blazer
gave his analysis o f Blazer personnel
center, but injuries has kept Kevin
position by position. Since there are
from performing at his best. With a
no Black sportswriters working for
healthy Kunnert, Portland could be
either o f the major newspapers, we
a real playoff contender.
tend to have to see the picture
PO W ER F O R W A R D S
through blue eyes only. Well, for all
M ychal Thom pson - Mychal has
i t ’ s w o rth , lets attem pt to get an
played so well the past two months,
analysis o f the same team, but from
doing everything a power forward
brown-eyed perspective.
should do. He’ s the best shot
Where does the P ortland
blocker at his p o sitio n , the best
scorer, and hs really improved his
intensity level. Yet, he was critized
by the other writer for scoring only
four points Saturday night against
Houston.
Now anyone can and w ill have a
bad day. Remember when Boston’s
Larry Bird went 0-19 in one game?
Well, 1 don’ t remember any strong
criticism going his way. Also, the
best kept secret in the NBA is the
turnover leader. That belongs to
Boston’s Bird also.
K a rm it W a shington - Even our
biased writer couldn’t find the heart
to criticize K erm it. W ashington
simply gives his all every night, and
is the epitome o f what a power fo r
ward should be. Kerm it plays well
within his ability and will never hurt
a team.
He’ s just as effective as a starter
as he is a backup; w ill accept any
role to help his team. There’ s no
problem at the power forward.
SM ALL FORW ARD
Calvin N att - Natt is playing hurt
and it has affected his overall game.
But his skills are fa r superior to
those o f Bobby Gross. And contrary
to what was printed in “ the other
analysis” Natt is the better player
and Gross should remain on the
bench. Bobby is only effective
playing with a good passing center,
and there is none around.
GUARDS
J im Paxaon - Continues to be
" M r . Steady.’ ’ He’ s steadily giving
up points on defense simply because
o f the lack o f foot speed.
The "o th e r” writer continues to
accentuate the positive with Paxson,
while accentuating the negative with
B illy Ray Bates. Bates is learning
and w ill get there despite the
negativism o f the “ blue-eyed”
press.
We constantly hear that B illy
can’ t play defense; Paxson can’ t
either, but we never read about the
way Bates opens the game up fo r
others by d rivin g the m iddle. We
d o n 't hear o f his great passing
ability. Billy can play, but does need
time to do so.
K elvin Ranaey - Is the catalyst
and is not in a slump. Kelvin can,
and is doing it all.
Cell Talk
provide one w ith food, clothing,
shelter and rehabilitative programs
is fruitless unless the mental,
physical and social health o f the in
dividual is provided for also.
Presently the only alternatives left
to incarcerated people in Oregon’ s
C orrectional System are m astur
bation, sodomy, stifling sexual fan
tasies, abstention or rape. None of
these choices represent a pretty pic
ture, no one free or confined should
have to function under these stress
factors.
To cage a man or woman for x
number o f years without allowing
them to follow a natural course of
development
only
adds
to
recidivism. It only compounds anti
social behavior, it enhances hatred,
bitterness and social ostracism. This
one area alone has done more for
the rising crime rate in Oregon than
other things 1 can think of. People
need love, they need to touch life as
was intended by A lm ighty God.
And people in prison aren’ t any d if
ferent, they aren’t any less human,
any less feeling than the guy next
door. “ Prisoners are people to o !”
In conclusion we strongly urge
statewide support for a very humane
proposal. The family Visit Bill (HB
2425) w ill help restore prisoners to
strong fam ily units. W ithout the
family all else is wasted. Write those
letters, make a phone call, save a
family and restore an incarcerated
man or woman to a natural state o f
------------------------------
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or Carrying Charges
No F in a n c e Co. or B a n k to D e a l W ith
-Easy BUDGET Terms-
Free Estimates
Prices Quoted in Advance
★
★
Immediate
Extractions
& Fillings
Dentures
Ask
O *r
LOW COST
Quality
DENTURES
★
The mobile homes are to be
placed w ithin the confines o f the
Oregon State Penitentiary using
volunteer labor and donations from
prisoners, family members, concer
ned citizens, business grants and
loans.
Unlike previous attempts to have
family visit legislation passed, in 81
we are asking the state fo r "N o
financial assistance. ” It can be done
solely on the e ffo rts o f prisoner’s
and supporters. P artial financial
backing is already in the offering.
The Fam ily V isit B ill w ill be
simultaneously introduced in both
the House and Senate Judiciary
Committees; here are the names and
addresses o f the Committee Chair
persons:
Tom Mason, Chairperson, House
Judiciary
Com m ittee,
State
Capitol Building, Salem, Oregon
97310; Senate, Jan Wyers, Chair
person, Senate Judiciary C om m it
tee, State Capitol Building, Salem,
Oregon 97310. For additional in
formation please contact Mrs. Tolly
Long, 2140 Raynor S.E., Salem,
Oregon 97302. Phone: 503-370-
7668.
•
. . . Using Sodium
One Day Service
in M o st C ate s
•
Pontothal
W hen Dotirod
For SLEEP
During O p e r a t io n
Fait Denture REPAIRS . . .
Dentures Setned A fopairod—m Our O w n laboratory
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Surrt Levn
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INTERESTING
FACTS
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Brought To You Every Week
The word "B ib le " comes from the Greek word
which means "Books."
•
The first airplane flight in history, with the Wright
Brothers, actually lasted only 12 seconds.
•
The original U.S. flag - the first one carried into
battle in the Revolutionary War - was not red, white
or blue, but red, white and gold.
American State
B a n k
AN INDEPENDENT BANK
Head Office
2737 N. E. Union
Portland, Oregon 97212
Among the many Black leaders who occupied high places
in New Deal councils was Robert L. Vann, editor of
the Pit tshurgh Courier and special assistant to the U.S.
Attorney General.
T h e W illa m e tte D e n ta l G ro u p , w ith tw o o ffic e s in P o r tla n d , has
in itia te d a m o n e y savin g p lan fo r s m a ll b usin esses an d in d iv id u a ls .
DENTIST
Wear Year Dentures
When You Awake
being.
Thank you and may Allah bless
you for caring enough to read and
act on these lines.
A M I IO A N ASS(>( IA 1 IO N
By A MERIC A N STATE BA NK
By Asmar A bdul Seifullah
The Oregon Legislative Session
will begin on January 1, 1981. When
those hearings begin, a proposal for
private fam ily visits (H B 2425 in
1979) will once again be introduced.
The importance o f this bill cannot
be stressed greatly enough. For
those who are unfamiliar with this
legislation, the proposal allows a
husband, w ife, children and step
children to share the security and
privacy o f normal family relation
ships in a mobile home apartment
for no less than 24 hours every 60
days.
The federal government recently
approved fam ily visits fo r the
federal prison system. It has also
urged state governments to follow
suit. Let’ s hope that the State o f
Oregon recognizes the need for such
a b ill. The sexual and social at
mosphere inside of state correction
facilities stinks. Homosexuality is
ram pant, rape is commonplace,
young men and women are suffering
physical, mental and moral
humiliations that surpass any sem
blance o f just incarceration. This
horrendous treatment o f human
beings must be stopped. The
supression o f natural sexual desires
aids and abets unnatural sex acts.
It’ s abnornal to even expect that
incarcerated persons aren’ t going to
have sex. But the question goes
deeper than sexual gradification. It
hinges on the development and
growth o f the individual. To
More than the mere supplying o f mortgage
money, Lincoln also provides the knowledge,
the organization, and the courtesy which
speeds each transaction from application to
completion o f financial arrangements.
P ic tu re d a re D rs. G e ra ld C o g a n (L) an d E u g e n e S k o u rte s (R ), W il-
lia m e tte D ental G rou p fo u nd ers.
Dentists offer cheap dental care
Small businesses and uninsured
patients will benefit from a new den
tal plan developed by the Willamette
Dental Group.
According to Dr. Gerald Cogan
o f the Willamette Dental Group in
Portland, Oregon, finances are the
reason 50V# o f the city’s population
seldom visit the dentist. This
November,
Cogan
and
his
associates in itia te d a dental plan
designed to reach the individuals
who don’t have access to dental in
surance. They call it the Willamette
Dental Service.
For $30 a year, registered mem
bers receive comprehensive dental
services fo r 30V# less than the
Willamette Dental G roup’s regular
rate. This fee also includes an an
nual check-up and cleaning at no
charge.
“ We had to cut our costs to reach
this group,” says Dr. Cogan. "W e
couldn’t do that by cutting down on
services, so we decided to cut down
the paperwork. It’ s not a secret that
you can save money by not billing.
So the one demand we make o f our
patients is that they pay in cash.
Then we can pass on the savings.”
Families join the Willamette Den-
tal Service for $90 - with no limit on
the number o f children in the
family. Couples join for $60 and in
dividuals fo r $30. Services o f
Pedodontists, O rthodontists and
Denturists are available to all mem
bers. Cogan feels that the plan does
not substitute for dental insurance,
but certainly provides a financial in
centive to m aintain good dental
health care - even during periods o f
inflation and high unemployment.
“ W e’ ve known fo r some time
that there arc people who don’ t have
any insurance or don’ t have access
to insurance. So we’ ve designed a
plan to appeal to that group. We
want to reach out to the com
m u n ity ,” says Cogan, “ and let
them know that they don’ t have to
postpone their dental care.”
Cogan said that the membership
plan w ith a fee break was new to
Oregon but was being implemented
elsewhere in the nation.
W illam ette Dental G roup is the
Northwest largest privately-owned
dental organization serving in
d ivid u a l and employer groups. It
has offices at 1933 S.W. Jefferson
and 13255 S.E. Stark in Portland,
Oregon.