P age B2
J une 7, 1995 • T he P ortland O bserver
DREXLER RIDES DREAM INTO FINALS
by
E ric N oon
Clyde Drexler must he pinching
him selfat times wondering ifthis run
to the NBA finals is ju st a dream or
true reality. The dream to play with
his c o lle g e tea m m a te H akeem
Olajuwon and get back to the finals is
not only a reality it is one o f the more
amazing accomplishments by a truly
gifted Athlete this town w ill remem
ber for years to come.
Starting in the number six seek
in the west The Rockets have taken it
to The Utah Jazz. Phoenix Suns, and
the now the in state rivals The San
Antonio Spurs It seems The Rockets
have had their backs to the wall and
com e c u t fig h tin g e v e ry tim e .
Olajuwon proved he is the best play
er in the game in The Spurs series by
dominating the league MVP David
robinson on both ends o f the court.
The heart o fa champion can never be
underestimated it seems, as The
ence side, they have shown great
poise for ayoung team who has never
won a play-off game before this year.
This years finals looks to cap off
what has been one o f the greatest
play. Offs in NBA history. The par
ody in the league brings out the little
advantages it takes to get deep into
the NBA Play-Offs.
The Rockets, who have one o f
the greatest centers in all-time histo
ry, surround their game around the
big fella. Houston shot more three
pointers in the regular season than
any body else and continue to survive
with a constant flow o f attempts from
the arch.
The m atch-ups in th e se fi
nals are as th ought p ro v o k in g as
any in the past. O lajuw on a g ain st
S h aq u ille O 'N e a l at c e n te r, fi
nesse vs. heart given th is M ar
quee m atch -u p a true b a ttle the
NBA can hang th e ir m a rk etin g
hat on. T he m agic have been d o
Rockets play with the heart and de
sire to get them by teams with advan
tages in talent in many areas.
Home court, size, and pure tal
ent The Rockets will be outmatched
again, when the face I he Orlando
Magic in the finals. Although The
Magic come up short on the experi
ing som e raining o f th e ir ow n as
the three has been fallin g at a
alarm ing rate if yo u 're Rocket
head coach Rudy T om janovich.
Dennis Scott, Nick Anderson,
‘ Penny" Hardaway and lately Brian
Shaw have been dialing long range
forthe magic. Not only are The Rock
ets going to have to step it in the
back-court on defense, the Drexler,
Kenny Smith, Sam Cassell threesome
is going to have to take the ball to the
hoop against the big 300 pounder,
O ’Neal and make him work harder
on defense to free up Olajuwon on
his patented baseling fadeaway. Al
though the centers and the guards
will have most o f the highlights and
focus on offense, the play o f the
forwards could be the key to this
series. If Robert Horry can keep hit
ting the three and bring horace Grant
out o f the middle, The Rockets can
nab more o f those defensive rebounds
that Grant turns into second chance
^Jortlaitb ODbecrucr
points so often. The Rockets have
played well with Horry and the well
traveled Chucky Brown filling in at
the power forward position.
On paper the magic seem to have
the talent to get by anybody, and so
far they have but poise and heart are
two different things. The magic have
great poise for ayoung talented team,
the Rockets have the hearts o f cham
pions that seem to give them the
never say die attitude that drives their
confidence it takes to win the games
with their backs to the wall. This
cou Id be one o f the more memorable
NBA finals in years.
If the Magic don’t get over
whelmed by just being there they can
win it in seven but w hh two
dreamteamers, who came up just short
o f a national championship, reunited,
The Rockets will give Clyde Drexler
his first NBA championship and ring
he can set beside his finals MVP tro
phy back home here in Portland.
BASEBALL
ALL STAR TEAM 199S
Pitchers
Tony Blackhurst, Jr., Marshall
James Barr, Sr., Marshall
Fred Johnson, Jr.. Jefferson
Mike Gits, Jr., Wilson
Outfield
Antonio McKinney, Jr., Jefferson
Chris Nickerson, Jr., Grant
Jason Ferres, Sr., Roosevelt
Catcher
Travis Boslar, Jr., Grant
First Base
Joey Gerber, Jr., Grant
Second Base
Matt Kabza, Sr., Madison
Short Stop
Gabe Dyas, Sr., Franklin
Third Base
Mike Catt, Sr., Madison
DID DENNIS RODMAN CAUSE THE SPURS TO LOSE
by
D anny B r i i
With the unglorious demise o f
San Antonio from the play-offs the
question corps up. what part did
Dennis Rodman play in the scenario,
and why are major mass media per
sonalities who commentate on the
game address in the disparaging term
o f punk.
Punk is defined by W ebster II
new Riverside Dictionary under two
definitions 1) pertaining to wood
usedforkindling.2)slang; lja y o u n g
inexperience or insignificant person.
2) A young hoodlum or tough: Adj.
l ) o f inferior quality 2) in poor health
3) o f relating to, or being purposeful
ly bizarre style o f dress affected by
punk rock groups.
From what this writer has seen
and read Rodman does not across as
a punk in ¡he nominative.
In interviews he appears forth
right and candid. Albert he too ap
pears to a lack o f emotional attach
ment. He also gives the impression of
a let the people so as they want atti
tude.
T he second is m ore a p p ro
p ria te und er the a d je c tiv e d e fin i
tio n the th ird d e fin itio n gives a
c lo se r d e sc rip tio n . For he indeed
tak es on the affectatio n s o f a Punk
R o c k e r w ith hair c o lo rin g e a r
rin g s and ta tto o s. H ow ever the
co m m en tato rs w ere talk in g about
the a ffe c ta tio n s o f R odm an but
th e man. If an ything R odm an is
an e c c e n tric enigm a Ju liu s Irv
ing has co m m ented that R odm an
su ffe rs from atte n tio n d e fic it dis-
o rd e r If th at is the case it lends
insight into the psyche o f man
w ho is p ro d ig io u s re b o u n d e r yet
so d istra c tin g to his c o lleag u es
in a team sport. It does not ju stify
his p ro p e n sity to isolate h im se lf
w hen benched but it do es shed
light on w hy. In the final analysis
it w as the co u rag e and execu tio n
o f H ouston that was San A ntonio
u n d o in g . In the gam e R odm an
w as benched for discip lin ary re a
sons the S purs won.
The only players to play with
intensity game in and game out were
Avery Johnson and Rodman David
Robinson this years National Bas
ketball A ssociation's most valuable
player a defensive stalwart was just
unable to contain Akeem Olajawon,
who scored 40 or more points in 4
Join us in celebrating
ÎÏÏIje lilo rtla n it (©bseruer’s
Twenty-fifth Anniversary.
games and 39 in the sixth and decid
ing game. In the sixth game Robinson
was limited to 19 points and accumu
lated 5 fouls. T eam m ate Avery
Johnson observed that San Antonio
players get along with Rodman, they
are aware o f his eccentricities and
can live with them. So what is all the
hullabaloo by the media. As far
fetched as it may seem the liberal
mass media assumed the position of
some sort o f moral judge, pontificat
ing about the sensibilities o f basket
ball. Even though sports may take on
the vestiges o f religion it cannot re
deem or provide salvation. sports are
just game and although human excel
lence is admirable it should be kept
in perspective.
Rodman brings alot to the game
that has an abundance o f bland per
Utility
Ross lines, Sr., Jefferson
sonalities. He brings some pastiche
to a game where most sound bites
begin to sound repetitious.
Like him or not he is a colorful
personality that gave his all in every
game.
Those o f us in the media have a
responsibility to remain objective.
Call ing people punks when other have
been known to spit on fans, and get
into bar brawls, or accessions o f drug
abuse seems to this writer inflamma
tory rhetoric gaged to turn heads and
raise ratings.
In conclusion it is interesting the
most visible critics of Rodman have
never picked up a basketball . It is
common knowledge that critics are
often frustrated artists whodidn’thave
talent for the avocation therefore they
chose to become critics of the art.
SHOOTOUT
FO R CHR IST!
Player of the Year
A n to n io
M cK inney,
Jr.,
O u te rfie ld e r, Jefferso n High
School
Avg. HR
Runs SB
439
20
3
Fid
23-25 .990
Coach of the Year
Mark P. Burke
R ental P roperty O wners /M anagers
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