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Page 4—The Portland O b s e rv e r-June 12, 1991
5S5&THE LOCKER ROOM
New Bulls On The Blocks
Scottie Pippen
Horace Grant
BY ULLYSSES TUCKER, JR.
There was considerable specula­
tion by NBA followers and experts as
to whether the National Basketball
Association could survive the future
retirement o f Boston’s Larry Bird and
Los Angeles Laker guard supreme Magic
Johnson. From the looks o f the NBA
Finals, A ir M ichael Jordan and the
Chicago Bulls look as if they will carry
the league for the next decade and work
some magic of their own before the
week’s out. It’s very difficult to im ag­
ine Chicago blowing three chances to
win one game, especially with two games
being played on their home floor.
W hat happened to the Los Angeles
Lakers? After splitting the first two
games in Chicago, fans/experts, etc...
predicted that the Lakers would handle
the young Bulls in five or six games.
Make that five years. There is nothing
like the spring of fresh legs. They run
faster, jum p higher, and last longer in
the heat o f battle. M agic Johnson, who
is as good as any player ever to put on
ap air of tennis shoes, has got to be tired
of seeing Scottie Pippen, M ichael Jor­
dan and Horace Grant in his face all
game long or in his sleep for that m at­
ter. Magic Johnson has never worked
harder to bring the basketball up the
c o u rt
W hen it comes to half-court de­
fense, the Chicago Bulls are the new
“ Bad B oys” in the NBA. Byron Scott
should be listed on the side of a milk
NE Student To
Visit France
Blazer fans and Portland media need
to face harsh reality, it’s over
Michael Jordan
carton and Big Nam e Jam es (W orthy)
is not the same on one good ankle. The
Lakers look so bad that some folks are
wishing that the Portland Trail Blazers
had prevailed against them. Maybe next
year. Anyway, where is the Laker bench?
W hy is A.C. Green playing limited
minutes after carrying them on his back
against the locals? Questions, ques­
tions, questions, and more questions. It
was the hope, though not on record, of
the Locker Room that Los Angeles
defeat the Bulls to make Portland look
good. You know , defeated by the W orld
Cham pion Lakers in last year's play­
offs kind o f rhetoric that they print
during the pre-season. It would have
been nice, even nicer had the Blazers
made it to the finals against the Bulls
like Sportslllustratedpredicicd. Magic
m ight not have another opportunity to
win another NBA Cham pionship, but
why feel sorry for him? He has five
rings stored away in some safe or secu­
rity box. It is time to change the guard
or pass the torch. W hat better person
than Air Jordan to pass it to. Julius
Erving passed it to him.
Although now situated in a differ­
ent conference, the Chicago Bulls and
the Lakers have met four previous times
in the NBA Playoffs. Between 1968
and 1973, the Bulls and Lakers squared
o ff in four Playoff series, when both
were members o f the W estern Confer­
ence. Los Angeles was victorious in all
four series, and nrior to the current
Finals the Lakers had an overall record
o f 16-7 in gam es against the Bulls. The
two teams first m et in 1968, when the
Lakers trounced the B u lls4-1. LA later
lost in six gam es to the Boston Celtics,
who were led by Sam Jones, Bill Russell,
and John H avlicek. Starting in 1971, the
Lakers and B ulls faced each other for
three straight years, with two o f those
series going the full seven games. In
1971, the L akers took the Bulls 109-98
to win Game 7. The follow ing year,
enroute to the 1972 NBA Title (W ilt
Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry
West), Los Angeles sw ept Chicago 4-0
in the W estern Conference Sem ifinals
once again. The teams m et for the final
time in the W estern Conference Play­
offs in 1973’s Semifinal round, and the
Lakers got the best o f the Bulls in seven
gam es, w inning the clincher 95-92 at
the G reat W estern Forum .
It has been a long tim e com ing, but
this one is for B ob “B utterbean" Love,
Chet Walker, Jerry Sloan, B ob Boozer,
Clifford Ray, and Storm in' Norman
Van Lier.
Next tim e y o u ’re in North C aro­
lina, specifically in G reensboro, C har­
lotte, or W ilm ington, check out “ Flight
23” owned b y -y o u guessed it-M ichael
Jordan. Jordan’s parents, his older brother
and younger sister have joined forces as
an enterprising crew behind a very suc­
cessful sporting goods chain (5 stores).
The stores carry a com plete line o f Nike
aoDarel and licensed NBA products.
City of Portland Proclaim Professor
Ali Muhammad Day
bv Aaron Fentress
So were to believe that the blazers were the
If Portland had a Major League Baseball team best team in the west last year because they made
or an NFL franchise then the bad memories o f the it to the finals. Then, were supposed to believe that
Trail Blazer's collapse would have been forgotten they are the best team in the league this year
by now. It would be time to pay attention to the because they had the best regular season record.
baseball team and prepare for the 1991 NFL sea­
All this over blown hype about the blazers in
son. But Portland doesn't have a baseball or foot­ Portland wouldn't be so bad if they at least had one
ball team. So what does Portland sports fans and ring in the last few years. It's arguable that the
the sports media do ? They dwell on the past. Lakers should have beaten the Pistons in 1989 if
Somebody please shoot somebody so we can put Magic Johnson and Byron Scott weren't out with
this Blazer crap to rest until October.
injuries. Arguable, because the Lakers won the
Last Thursday, June 6, The Oregonian ran a championship in 1987 and 1988. But is it arguable
12 page spread reviewing the 1990-91 Trail Blazer to assume that the blazers should have won the
season. The headline read "The one that got away." championship this year simply because they made
What got away ? Is a championship implied here it to the finals last year and won the regular season
? If it is then the Portland media and fans need to race this year ?
get a clue and realize that the Blazers were no closer
If the blazers and their fans insist on treating
to an NBA championship then any other final-four this season as "the one that got away," then they can
team of the past 10, 20, 30.... hell, since the NBA look to see a few more get away in upcoming years.
began.
The blazers are not that good and here's why....
If we are to assume that the Blazers are great
The blazers are by no means great because not '
then we must assume that the 1987 Dallas Maver­ only did they lose to the Lakers, but they lost to
icks, who took the Lakers to seven games in the them in six games while possessing the home-court
Western Conference Finals, are great. We must advantage. Which is all you get by having the best
also assume that the 1985 Denver Nuggets were regular season record, and we saw how much that
great, they took the Lakers to six, like the Blazers meant.
did this year. If every team that doesn't quite make
The blazers are by no means great because
it to the finals is great, then there is no greatness, they lost two games in the first round to Seattle.
just mediocrity.
Two games to the eighth seed in the playoffs.
Another thing that bugs me is the fact that Championship tarns sweep the first round. In fact
everyone northwest o f sanity looks to the blazers it’s considered a crime for the number one seed to
best record as an indication o f their greatness. But even lose one to the number eight seed. Needless
will these same people admit that the 1990 Lakers to say, no team has won the NBA championship
were the best team last year despite not even after losing one game in the first round since the
making it to the conference finals ? The Lakers had sixteen team format was introduced in 1984.
the best record that year. In fact it was identical to
The blazers are by no means great because
that of this years blazers, 63-19. The answer to this they can’t win on the road in the playoffs. The
is no.
blazers were 1-6 on the road in the playoffs. The
Portland fans believe; that the Detroit Pistons Lakers meanwhile were 4-2. Enough said.
were the best team in the NBA last year but only
It's pretty much a given that the blazers are an
because they beat the blazers. This undoubtedly extremely gifted and dangerous team and worthy
leaves the blazers as the second best team in the to be called champions. But lets let them prove it
NBA and the best in the west, because they made before we actually do. Then it will mean some-
it to the finals.
thing.
Dr. Chuck KunerCs
CONCORDIA BASKETBALL CAMPS
High School Team Camp
June 23-28, 1991
Individual Girls’ Camp
June 30-July 3, 1991
Teaching fundamentals and team
play in a Christian environment.
Resident and Commuter
Reasonable Fees
Khalil T. Edw ards is a 7th grader
at Catlin Gable School. He will be
leaving this week with his class for a
three week visit to France. He will
visit several cities there, khalil has
taken french for five years, and while
he enjoys the language, he plans to
attend Howard U niversity or M Oore
College after his tenure at Catlin Gable.
He has aspirations o f becom ing a film
maker or a writer. He is the youngest
of five children.
K halil’s older brother James
Edwards in in the m ilitary stationed
in Germany. The brothers are hoping
for at lest a brief visit before Khalil
returns to the suites.
K halil’s parents are: Antonette
and Keith Edwards.
Dr. Chuck Kunert
Concordia College
2811 N.E. Holman
Portland, OR 97211
St Philip the Deacon
Episcopal Church
Father’s Day Bar-B-Que
Pictured form left to right Harold Williams/Coalition of Blackman,
Professor Ali Muhammad and Don Williams/Washington Martial Artist.
Ali Muhammad teaches modem self
defense. His martial arts career spans
over three decades. During his career,
Ali has earned third degree black belts in
Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido; seventh degree
black belts in Kenpo, Ju-Jitsu, and is a
registered professor of Karate. His style
of A faqsirat is unique and universal.
Additional credits include, being
ranked second in the United States in
A mis-sticks. Professor Ali is consid­
ered among his contem poraries as
Quintessential in the martial arts
community.
Call 288-9371 ext. 7137
or 282-4495 or write:
I ^ n FRESH FRYERS
Frye,
A Father’s day barbecue will be
held by the M en’s Club of St. Philip the
Deacon Episcopal Church at 120 N. E.
Knott starting at 11:00 a.m. Saturday,
June 15, 1991. This annual feast fea­
tures fine food and supports many worthy
program s through a donation o f $5.00.
For further inform ation, please contact
St. Philip’s at 281-5802.
HINDQUARTERS
POUND
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P IN W H E E L S ............................. ............... POUNO
CHICKEN SAUSAGES............ ...... POUNO
WHOLE BAOOBB FRYERS.
WESSON
OIL
Correction
TOM ATOES
• REGULAR STEWED
• MO SALT STEWED
• WHOLE PEELED
14.5 OZ.
CAN
Erica and Karis
In our last issue, phone num bers for
Erica N. M ashia and Karis J. S toudam ire
were listed incorrectly. Please note cor­
rection: 284-1771
Champs O f The B udw elsw Hoops Classlc-Prevost Foushee (far left), Budweiser national ethnic marketing
manager; Jo Jo White (far right), former NBA all-star; and Tom Mataya, manager, Anheuser-Busch
Entertainment Marketing Group, pose with the winning team at the second annual Budweiser Hoops Classic,
held at the Palace at Auburn Hills in Michigan, home of the Detroit Pistons. The Budweiser Hoops Classic was
the culmination of a three-month-long radio promotion held in 20 markets across the country.
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