Page 4—The Portland Observer-December 12, 1990
i
Portland Observer
THE LOCKER ROOM
Terrell Brandon: Fighting Since Birth
Tyson knocks out Stewart and HBO
bv Aaron Fentress
Shortly after knocking out
AlexStewart, MikeTyson made equally
fast work of HBO. After three years and
six fights the marriage between Tyson
and HBO has come to an end.
Last year CBS and NBC made
a major switch as the National Basket­
ball Association left CBS for NBC and
Major League Baseball did the oppo­
site. Both were deals based on eco­
nomics. Tyson’s decision was based on
pride.
When Tyson became the un­
disputed heavyweight champion of the
world in 1987 he and HBO struck a fight
deal that would take the Tyson knock
out tour around the world. England,
Japan and China were destinations on
the itinerary as the Tyson bandwagon
rolled on. Until it got busied.
Jam es “ B u ster” D ouglas
knocked out Tyson in Tokyo Japan it
not only shocked the world but put a
dent in the relationship between Tyson
and HBO. A dent that has now led to
their separation.
Following the Stewart fight last
Saturday, Tyson told HBO announcer
Jim Lampley that he would not renew
theircontiact. Lampley, in what seemed
like desperation, tried to lengthen the
discussion saying that HBO had hoped
to renew the contract. Tyson merely
said “They know what they did to me.
No comment.” Tyson then walked
away and Lampley was left stunned as
I’m sure the HBO executives were also.
But they shouldn’t have been.
Within days of the Tyson-
Douglas fluke, HBO announced that
they would not renew their contract
with Tyson. Although it is speculation,
it seems obvious that HBO fell that a
Tyson pact would be disadvantageous
considering the fact that Tyson had just
been knocked out. If that wasn’t bad
enough HBO poured salt in Tyson’s
wounds by airing HBO commercials
exclusively showing Tyson being
knocked on his butt. In the ads HBO
proclaimed that they were the network
that showed the great destruction of
Tyson, not it’s competitors, specifi­
cally Showtime.
Although Tyson kept quiet
about the situation it had to have hurt his
pride. After all the money he had made
for HBO they now were using his fail­
ings for their gain instead of showing
loyalty. The said part is that in big
business the only thing people tend to
be loyal to is the dollar.
Tyson did manage to finish
out his HBO contract following the
Douglas fight. In that time Douglas was
embarrassed by Evandcr Holyfield,
whom HBO is now going after. With
Tyson’s departure, HBO finds them­
selves left holding the gun that shot
their own brains out. It is apparently
obvious that Tyson has shaken off the
Douglas fight and regained his form.
And when he regains his title, which he
will, HBO will be left with nothing,
except a Holyfield contract that they
will probably also tear up.
Over the year Tyson's judge­
ment has been suspect. His failed mar­
riage, his relationship with Don King,
his reported treatment of woman and
his lack-luster performance against
Douglas has tarnished Tyson's accom­
Portlander Takes Second in
Regional Golf Tournament
BY: ART ALEXANDER
»*•
>•- ••
» •1>
•/
Portland’s Leisure Hour Golf Asso­
ciation was well represented in Las Vagas
when member Sandi Wagner won the
women’s division
silver trophy at the
Western States Golf
A s s o c ia tio n ’ s
Thanksgiving Tour­
nament The two day
tournament was held
at both the Dunes
and the Painted
Desert Golf Club
was host for 144
golfers from all over
the western United
States.
" -jpw
Outstroking all
v
but one of her 20
UL
W om en’s F light
rV
com petitors Ms.
Wagner, a 13 han-
dicapper with a house full of trophies,
was almost pleased with her perform­
ance. “ I can’t be altogether happy. I
wanted to walk away with the first place
trophy. I don’t want to take anything
away from my competitors, but I know I
have the ability to win that tournament.
There were some women in our flight
who were just as capable of winning so I
do feel good about taking second place.
However, next year I am coming back to
Portland with the bigger trophy.”
Ms. Wagner’s second place repre­
sents more than might be discerned from
her comments. She
spent the several
months in 1989 and
90 recovering from
*
surgery on both hands.
T~~- .
For a golfer, as with
most athletes, the af­
termath o f surgery is
an anxiety ridden
time. Too often, de­
spite therapy, the
strength and timing
are never quite the
same and a career is
over.
In Ms. W agner’s
case it looks like her
recovery has been
fi complete and her
competitors had better beware. Her sec­
ond place finish in Las Vegas was pre­
ceded by solid first place 1990 wins in
the Continental Airlines Colwood Tour­
nament, the annual Leisure Hour Rip­
pling River Tournament, and the Port of
Portland’s annual competition. Ms.
Wagner will probably need to make
room for a few more trophies in 1991.
1
BY ULLYSSES TUCKER, JR.
plishments. Now it looks like all that is
behind him. Including HBO.
When Holyfield and Tyson
meet sometime in 1991 it will be the
biggest boxing event in history. HBO
will not be a part of it. When Tyson
knocks out Holyfield it will be the final
turn in the full circle Tyson has turned
going from his defeat at the hands of
Douglas to the regaining of the belts
which are rightfully his. HBO will be
on the outside looking in, probably still
waiving their contract at Tyson.
Tyson doesn’t need HBO’s
money. All Tyson needs is a piece of
mind that he is his own man. By keep­
ing his mouth shut and finishing off the
HBO fights remaining on his contract,
Tyson quietly put himself back in the
spotlight. He didn't make a big deal
over how HBO treated him. He simply
went on about his business. Now he
will take his business elsewhere.
What future athletes should
learn from Tyson is that money isn't
everything. Tyson turned down tens of
millions of dollars, but stayed a man.
Because as soon as you fall. All your
so-called friends seem to disappear. If
Michael Jordan breaks his leg and ends
his career will NIKE still be there ? If
Michael Jackson lost his voice would
Pepsi still be there ? When Tyson got
knocked out was HBO there ?
For most people, when disas­
ter strikes and the money grubbing
hangers-on leave, there is no second
chance. Much to my obvious delight
Tyson has a second chance to spit in the
face of HBO. And HBO will be feeling
the sling for quite a while.
|( Z
r
In the movie “ It’s a Wonderful Life”
featuring James Stewart, an angel came
into his troubled life to give him a sense
of purpose and strength in exchange for
the wings he wanted to earn. If the the­
ory hold true. Sister Ida Walker has
earned her wings here on earth and will
probably get a double bonus when she
arrives to heaven one day. Had it not
been for Sister Walker, of Walker Temple
Church of God & Christ, Terrell Bran­
don of the University of Oregon might
not be playing basketball today.
Few people know that Brandon was
born with club feet. Both of them were
turned to the inside and it went unde­
tected until Sister Walker spotted the
problem. According to church legend,
Sister Walker sees all and she quickly
brought it to the attention of his parents
(Charles and Charlotte). Soon after the
perceptive eyes of Sister Walker ascer­
tained the problem, Brandon, a toddler,
was fitted for braces and corrective shoes.
Since the devices were removed, Terrell
has been very difficult to catch up with,
except for when he attended church with
his family on Sundays. His speed and
quickness are legendary in North/North-
east Portland.
* ‘Charles said ’ leave the boy ’ alone.
My pain was his pain. It use to hurt me
listening to him and it hurt me just as
much. I’m very thankful for God send­
ing Sister Walker into my life she is a
beautiful person.”
It’s no secret that Terrell Brandon is
a fighter. You would be too if you had to
endure such pain as a youngster. His tol­
erance for pain and adversity was estab­
lished at a tender age. Some folks close
to him say that the roughest part of his
life is over. It’s just starting to get rough
on opponents in the Pac-10 because
Brandon is now inflecting pain on them.
Last season, he averaged 17.9 points per
contest and ranked among the league
leaders in steals, assist, three-point field
goal percentage, and minutes played.
He is currently averaging 25 plus points
per game for the Ducks. He was also
named All-Conference last season. This
year should be no exception.
Brandon has been described as a
;pesty fly on a hot muggy day. His ag-
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Find out how to help the home­
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playing in Irving Park (Northeast Port­
land), I learned to play hard and take no
prisoners. It was all or nothing on the
playground.”
Though Brandon might be unsure of
where his intensity of competitive nature
comes from, mother Charlotte knows
that the apple does not fall too far from
the tree. “ I’m like that too’ ’ she laughed.
‘‘I’m not intimidated easily of insecure.
I was taught never to back down from a
challenge. Terrell is the same way. He
get’s his strong will from his father, who
is a leader and very dependable. Charles
has always been there for him and there
is nothing that he can’t talk to us about.
W e’re very open with each other. Can’t
is not in our vocabulary. We believe in
trying and working hard, The rest is left
up to God. I raised his sister (Tracy, 24)
that way too.”
A spiritually sound individual, Bran­
don knows the Bible inside and out. He
attends church on a regular basis as well
as studies scriptures. Brandon is com­
fortable as a student, after sitting out
because of proposition 48, and with his
growth as ans athlete. One thing he is not
comfortable with is losing basketball
games. He’s played in three state cham­
pionships games with Grant High School
(winning title in 1988 and 86) and has al-
ready lost more games at Oregon than he I
lost in his career. He was also a track
standout at Grant.
“ Our intensity level on the road has
been real low,” he said. " If we are going
to be effective as a team, it is important
that we establish or set some type of tone
on the road. Its tough in our conference.
All, the intensity, starts from within. We
have got to be more consistent and keep
our heads high. There are not many fans
on our side when we play on the road and
that is something we must get use to If
we are going to be competitive, winning
on the road, playing tough is a m ust."
Several NBA coaches, including Paul
Silas of the New York Knicks, believe
that Brandon might have an outside shot
of playing in the league if he steps up his
defensive intensity and strength. He has
been compared to a young Tim Harda­
way. Hardaway, a member of the Golden
State Warriors, was named to the All-
Rookie team last season. Like Brandon,
he gets on the nerves of opposing point
guards and opponents. “ I think that’s a
great compliment,” he said. “ He is a
real tough player” .
Most players in Brandon’s position
are consumed in the glory, the lifestyle
of an athlete on a college campus, and
self. Terrell Brandon is selfless. Through­
out the interview, when making refer­
ence to the Duck basketball team, he
spoke about the “ we” and the “ us” . In­
dividual success does not mean much to
him. He would rather turn in his twenty-
five plus per contest for some victories.
‘‘Us winning is more important than my
numbers. Hopefully, we will get things
together,” said the six foot junior.
When speaking about his family and
church, the “ we” and “ us” word,again,
comes up consistently as Brandon spoke.
In this day and age of single parent
households, dysfuntional families, and
moral decay - Brandon is fortunate to
have three solid support systems. Home,
Walker Temple Church of God and Christ,
and the Duck basketball team. He knows
and believes that he is truly blessed, es­
pecially when you have an angel on earth
looking out for you like Sister Ida Walker,
who is truly the point guard for the Ducks.
Sister Walker has great vision. All point
guards do, whether they are running the
show for Don Monson or God.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
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gressive style of play is said to gel on an
opponents last nerve and he never stops.
He is a warrior and a scrapper. Brandon
plays every basketball game like it is his
last one. Brandon had to fight. Thais if he
wanted to get the braces off his feet or
walk properly. ‘‘I’ve always been in­
tense” , he said.” I can’t say exactly
where it comes from, but it is there.
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