August 1,1990- The Portland Observer--Page 5
• Rrtltnd Observer
THE LOCKER ROOM
Greg Smith: Ex-NBA Player and
National Sales Manager: KGON
NBA prepare you for a caier like sales?
“ Yes,” he said. “ Here is a fond­
ness that people have or individuals
associated with prior »bs or responsi­
bilities. Being a formr athlete or any­
thing like that builds comfort level for
people. Folks like tiknow that you’ve
accomplished somthing and eventu­
ally, you get dow ns business.” Smith
enjoys looking deper into the busi­
nesses he encounirs on a regular basis
because it gives 1m insight into poten­
tial investmentsor opportunities in the
future.
R egardlesof whether you are in
professional sprts or sales, Smith thinks
that a person teeds to be competitive.
“ You have ttsize up your competition
constantly,” ie said. “ If you’ve got a
big gun comng up against you and you
know that thiy have a good product, you
have to fincthe weakness. We do the
same thing it radio. We try and find the
weakness s soon as possible, if they
have one.”
Smith las lived the dream as a fa­
ther, prof^sional/college athlete, and
executive/ Now, he would like to live
the NBAoream through his son Keith,
who has mi excellent shot to make the
Los Anjeles Lakers or some other team.
Smith Ues the odds.
“. like his chances,” said Smith.
“ H e’r playing very well. He, being a
free-tgent, is looking good and playing
parcel to their second round draft pick.
Th«ugh he is with the Lakers, he also
ha the opportunity for other teams to
sc him perform. Free-agency can work
oi your behalf because you are not tied
o the team like the ones drafted.”
Smith’s advice to young players
making it to the NBA is to make and
save the money while you can. Eventu­
ally, he says, you have to get a career
and adjust to the real world. Smith
knows the routine well.
By ULLYSSES TUCKER, JR.
selected a career in radio sales, Smith
said that he did not want a regular desk
Greg Smith has had a wonderful life job. He wanted a career that allowed
as a basketball player. He was a stand­ flexibility and travel, like in the N.B. A.
out player in high school (Princeton,
“ I evaluated myself and I wanted a
Kentucky), an excellent college player job with a fixed salary as well as a com­
at Western Ken­
mission,” he said.
tucky, and he man­
‘‘I also wanted to
aged to get in seven
get out, meet people,
years of profes­
and sell a product.
sional basketball.
The more I thought
Smith played in
about it, the more
the opportunity of
Milwaukee, Hous­
media sales came
ton, and Portland.
into light. Televi­
While in Milwau­
sion and radio. I
kee, Smith starred
interviewed heavily
on the same team
here in Portland with
with
Oscar
all the stations and I
Robertson, Lew Al-
was fortunate to get
cindor, and Bob
a job with KGW
Boozer as the Bucks
(1976). I’ve been
won the (1971)
GREG SMITH
in the business ever
National Basketball Photo by Ullyaaea Tuckar, Jr.
since.” Smith said
Association Title.
that sales has met all of his expectations
Smith has also played in the NCAA
and dreams thus far. One day, he would
Tournament, had his high school jersey
retired (1989), and belongs to the Ken­ like to be a General or Station Manager
for some station. He would also like to
tucky Basketball Hallof Fame. Atforty-
own a radio station one day.
three years old, Smith is married (Gwen
As National Sales Manager for
Ozaki-Smith) and the proud father of
three children. Keith is currently in KGON-FM, Smith’s responsibilities
include setting rates, designing promo­
camp with the Los Angeles Lakers and a
graduate of IJC-Berkeley; Damon is, if tional programs, and generating new
business outside of the marketplace. He
not the best, one of the best (200 and 400
handles companies like Frito-Lay, Ford
meter) sprinters in Oregon (Wilson High
School); and his youngest daughter Motors, and other large vendors. Smith
believes that a successful salesperson is
Sara (three years old) runs the Smith
household. Smith retired from the NBA outgoing, articulate, and able to take no
for an answer. He also said that you
in 1975 and entered the world of radio
must enjoy people because sales puls a
sales. He has worked for KGW radio,
person
in various social situations.
freelance as an NBA announcer, and he
A
very
smooth and likable person,
currently is the National Sales Manager
Smith
has
no
problem with people and if
for KGON-FM radio.
his
silky
moves
of the past are an indica­
Smith, who majored in social work/
tion
of
his
sales
ability, he is doing well.
physical education at Western Kentucky,
Smith
is
well-respected
in the industry
still plays for the Blazers Old-Timers
and
marketplace.
Did
your
career in the
team. When questioned about why he
Nike Presents Minority Programs to PUSH
Nike President Richard K. Do­
nahue met with Reverend Jesse Jackson
of Operation PUSH to share with Jackson
information about Nike’s minority hir­
ing, philanthropy and business devel­
opment programs.
“ We welcome this opportunity to
show PUSH some of the very aggres­
sive affirmative action programs and
development programs Nike is involved
with and extremely proud of. PUSH
and Nike obviously have similar goals
when it comes to generating equal op­
portunity for all citizens,” said Do­
nahue.
“ Nike is proud of our association
with such great black role models as
Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Bo
Jackson, Spike Lee and John Thompson,
all of whom have been featured in our
advertising, “ Donahue said. “ This is
an outward indication of our inner com­
mitment to the minority community.
When PUSH looks beyond the surface
at the way Nike conducts business,
they will see how deep our commit­
ment goes.”
“ We also agree wholeheartedly
with Rev. Jackson’s statement last week
that bullets, not shoes, kill kids, and
that books, not sneakers, provide op­
portunity. That is why we are currently
running a $5-million Equal Opportu­
nity advertising campaign urging kids
to stay in school and stay off drugs. We
are certain PUSH can help us make
that campaign even more meaningfil to
the minority community."
Among the facts that Nike slared
with PUSH were:
The company has a total o f3,500
domestic employees, of which h.4 per­
cent are minorities.
The company is in a rapii growth
phase and has hired 1,039 enployees
since January 1990. Of that total, 21
percent are minorities.
The company has an aggessive mi­
nority recruiting effort that itcludes list­
ing all jobs with minority recruiting
firms, sponsoring job fairs, and recruit­
ing at black colleges, sororities and fra­
ternities.
The company is thi largest adver­
tiser using minority spckespeople in the
country.
The company spends 75 percent of
its philanthropic dollars on minority-
oriented projects.
Nike used the meeting to correct
some popular misapprehensions about
the athletic shoe business. Nike has an
extremely diverse business selling ath­
letic shoes, clothes and accessories in 17
different sports categories with equal
distribution across the U.S. Contrary to
statements which attribute large per­
centages of Nike’s sales of higher-priced
shoes to urban minority youth, the cor­
rect figures are:
13.6 perccntof Nike’s business is to
non-white consumers, not 30-40 per­
cent as previously cited.
Only 20 percent of Nike’s busi­
ness is in cities with populations ex­
ceeding 2.5 million.
According to industry research,
blacks aged 13-24 are no more likely to
buy or own athletic shoes than 13-24-
year-olds in general. They own an av­
erage of 3.1 pairs o f athletic shoes out
of 9.8 total pairs of shoes.
15 percent o f Nike’s basketball
show sales are to minority consumers.
The average price of a pair of Nike
athletic shoes is $60.
The two best selling shoes at Nike
are the Quantum Force basketball shoe
at $58 and the Air Cross Trainer at $62.
“ The fact that only 13 percent of
our business is with the minority com­
munity does not decrease our commit­
ment to that community. That is why
14.4 percent of our workforce is mi­
nority and 75 percent of our philan­
thropic dollars are directed to minority
programs. We welcome PUSH’S help
in making those programs as meaning­
ful as possible,” Donahue said.
“ Nike looks forward to sharing
many of our ideas with PUSH and
working out plans that will help both
organizations serve the interest of the
minority community.Both organizations
do that very well even now," said
Nike’s Donahue.
For more information call: 223-WALK
W alks of
«
I IL
A Pledge Walk to Benefit AIDS Care And Education
S eptember 9
9 A. M . S U N D A Y
1990
W aterfront P ark
Sponsored By
Cascade AIDS Proicct, 620 KC.W.
US West Foundation,
KGW TV Channel 6
You are
Looking F in e . . .
when '
you pick up the
> • The
-
Portland, '
Observer
Pepsi Launches Minority Partnership
in Washington, D.C.
OF SPORTS
Search For 1996
Olympics Site
The search is on for a site for the
1996 Olympics—the 100th anniver­
sary of the Olympic Games in modern
times. In the running for this cov­
eted honor is Melbourne, A ustra­
lia’s second biggest city.
The land “Down Under” may be
the site for the centenary Olympic
Games.______ _____ __________
The last time the city hosted the
Olympics was in 1956, an event
which came to be labelled “the
friendly games.” Along with the rest
of A ustralia, Melbourne boasts
political stability, has a m oderate
climate and a clean and safe envi­
ronment in which athletes can train
and compete. Melbourne’s beauty,
diversity and culture also help make
it an ideal Olympic city, many agree.
Melbourne has hosted many
sporting events, including World
Series Cricket, the World Grand
Prix Motor-Cycle Championship and
World Cup Weightlifting. It’s also
home to the milhon-dollar Melbourne
Cup horse race and the A ustralian
Open Tennis Championship.
Already there’s wide support for
Melbourne in its attem pt to win the
right to stage the centenary mod­
ern Olympics. Also, three-quarters
of its Olympic facilities are now in
place. More th an 75 corporations
and institutions have each contrib­
uted $100,000 towards the $20
million Olympics bid. Some 50,000
Australians have registered as
potential volunteer assistants.
It could be the land “Down Under”
is the place for tomorrow’s up-and-
coming athletes to compete in at
the Olympics!
Craig E. Weatherup, President offered by minority-owned businesses
in the last eight years.
of Pepsi-Cola Company, announced on
Weatherup stated: “ As we enter
July 25 the formation of the largest
into this unique partnership of Graves
minority-controlled Pepsi-Cola franchise
and Johnson with Pepsi, we do much
in the United States.
more than consummate another impor­
The new $60 million soft drink
tant business deal. Rather, this partner­
franchise-Pepsi-Cola of Washington,
ship is indeed a reaffirmation of Pepsi­
D.C., L.P.-serving the metropolitan
District of Columbia and a portion of Cola Company’s commitment to broaden
substantially the level of our involve­
Prince Georges Coutny, will be oper-
ment with the minor­
ated u nder an h istorie
The
partnership
involves
ity business commu­
partnership that unites
nity.”
Magic Johnson and Earl
Pepsi with two promi­
Pepsi-Cola
nent businesspersons:
Graves of Black Enterprise
of
Washington,
D.C.
Earl G. Graves, one
is
a
sales
distribution
company
which
of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs
will employ approximately 160 people,
and publisher of B lack Enterprise maaz-
ine, and Earvin “ Magic” Johnson, 11- and is expected to generate nearly $30
million in revenues by the end of its first
year veteran of the National Basketball
full operating year. Pepsi recently in­
Association’s Los Angeles Lakets.
vested $1.8 million to upgrade and equip
Weatherup has been a driving
force behind Pepsi’s acclaimed minor­ the new facility, which sits atop a 6.1
acre site. Pepesi will serve as “ limited
ity business and educational initiatives,
including the Pepsi-Cola Minority Busi­ partner” and support non-operating
ness Enterprise (MBE) program, which aspects of the business. Graves, Johnson,
and Pepsi have each made a substantial
has resulted in Pepsi spending more than
$325 million on products and services financial commitment to the venture.
THEY’RE BACK! Bigger & Better!
Enagüe “Northwest Football Champions” (10-0)
.OREGON THUNDERBOLTS
V-
vs.
THE NEW EUGENE BLAST
SATURDAY, JULY 28th 7:30pm
PORTLAND CIVIC STADIUM
TICKETS. ADULTS $6.00
The earth is not perfectly round.
Distances measured through the
poles are shorter than those at the
equator.
Tickets available at all Fastixx Outlets
CALL 256-0753
or 1-800-866-2658
- Kid» F r x with • can or rood
tor the Sunshine Olv -M usi be
accompanied by an adult
I
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$1 OFF ADULT TICKET I
WITH THIS A C ^ j
Green’s role earns him All-Stm yeai
By Aaron Fentress
The Lakers had just defeated
die Boston Celtics in 1985 for tlic
NBA championship when dicy
drafted Green. Then came die drive
to be die first team to repeat since
die CclLics of die late sixties.
The Lakers were swiftly
bounced out of the 1986 Western
Conference playoffs by die Houston
Rockets and die twin lowers. Many
"experts" started writing the Lakers
ofL
Aldiough die Lakers as a
team fell on some hard limes in 1986
for Green the year was a success. It
took him only a short time to push
Kurt Rainbis out of die starting
Power forward spot and become a full­
time starter. Green said lie never
looked at it as a competition between
him and Rainbis
but as a
competition widi himself.
"I didn’t try to com|x:lc with
anybody, I just tried to play hard and
be my best," said Green. "When you
first get there you must feel that you
can play at that level.” According to
Green it look him only a month to
realize he could play at the NBA
level.
The Lakers bounced back
during the 1986-87 season storming
dirough the season and capturing the
NBA title from the Boston Celtics.
Green averaged nine points and five
rebounds during that scries.
For
Magic and company it was their
fourth ring. For Green it was his
first
In 1988 die Lakers again
were trying to become the first team
to repeal in 19 years. This time dicy
accomplished that goal by defeating
die Detroit Pistons in seven games.
Green upped his performance from
die previous year to 10 poinLs and
eight rebounds per game, including a
21 point, eight rebound performance
in game three.
By this time Green was
becoming recognized as a star around
the league. Being on a team that
possessed such stars as Magic,
Worthy and Kareem, definitely castcd
a shadow over Green, but he slowly
built his own reputation as a hustler
and rcbounder.
Although Green
didn't shoot the ball much lie made
good on his few attempts by
consistently hilling around 55% of
his shots.
For years scoring has been
the statistic for which All-Star
players arc measured, now that has
changed. Magic Johnson and Larry
Bird made the assists fashionable
during the 80's and p lay as like Green
and Dennis Rodman, arc making it
fashionable to rebound. For Green
and Detroit's Rodman, rebounding
and defense has landed diem in the
1990 NBA All-Star game.
AC GREEN
"1
diink
players
like
Rodman and 1 have shown dial you
can do odicr things besides score and
be successful," said Green. "I could
want to score more but I understand
that you have to be a team and tiicrc
arc different rolls to be played.
Certain players do certain things
belter. To help us win, 1 rebound.
Now players arc being appreciated
and awarded for something odicr than
being high scorers."
Green was voted to the NBA
All-Star team in 1990. An honor
bestowed upon NBA players by
popular voles from die fans.
Although he had nothing to do widi
it Green found himself in die center
of controversy when he was voted in
as a starter ahead of Karl Malone.
Aldiough
Green
received some
negative fan reaction to the selection
lie did not let it spoil his lime in the
sun. ...
,
.
,
...
1 wasn l going to let any dung
rum die moment for me, " lie said.
"Il was something I had worked so
hard for and nodiing was going to
come between die enjoyment of it for
inc or my family."
Along with Green, Magic,
and Worthy also started for the Wes
in the 1990 All-Star game. Despite
three all-stars and die best record in
basketball die Lakers bowed" out of
the playoffs in die speond round
being dcdironcd by die Phoenix Suns
in only five games.
Despite
pcrsisltncc
by
"experts" dial die Lakers arc done,
Green doesn't feel they have anydiing
to prove. "The only tiling we will
try to do is be the best we can be.
Best as a team and best as
individuals. We won't worry about
what other people say or think
because it really doesn't matter. We
feel no pressure because Detroit is
king o f die hill now. They have die
championship."
For the first time in Green's
career he relumed to Pordand with
the Blazers having a more successful
season than the Lakers. "They did a
very good job," said Green. "1 was
proud of Pordand, I'm from here and
1 was happy to see dian do so well."
When asked if he'd like to
finish out his career in Portland
Green said lie didn't sec it in his
future. "I havai't drought about iL
I'm just now getting used to L.A."
He said.
Green did say till he has no
plans to coach after he retires unless
it's in a church league or a boys club.
One tiling Green docs plan
to ¡rorsuc after basketball is his own
business and die ministry.
"Working in the ministry is
my love and disirc. It is my favorite
thing to do and I'd like to do more of
it when more of my lime becomes
available.