P age B 3
T he P o î i land O bserver • A pril 17, 1996
Q&A ROD STRICKLAND
by Eric Noon
It’s a gixxJ chance that the Portland
Trailblazers will be playing their last
games with Rod Strickland in this years
play-offs, and this is just another of a
long line of players the fans and this
o rg a n iz a tio n are g o in g to m iss.
Strickland, one of the premier point
guards in the league, has had another
all-star caliber year while overcoming
controversy and playing injured.
The nine-year veteran’s relation­
ship with head coach PJ C arlisim o
se e m s w ell b e y o n d r e p a ir and
Strickland, to his credit is playing out
his Blazer career by playing som e of
his best basketball to date.
President and G eneral M anager
Bob W hitsitt has a huge challenge
ahead o f him as Strickland dem anded
to be traded and insists he will not
play for C arlisim o in the future. The
challenge for W hitsitt isgettingequal
value for one o f the top five point
guards in the league. S trickland’s
trade value has fallen with the p ub­
licity o f his fall-out with C arlisim o.
W hitsitt hands are tied and the g en ­
eral m anagers around the league know
it. The Blazer fans are going to m iss
Strickland in m any w ays, but m ost of
all, this team is losing it’s best player
and that will hurt everytim e. I got a
chance to sit dow n with Strickland
and ask a few questions and as al­
ways h e’s a first class act w hen it
com es to interview s.
O B S E R V E R : A re you having fun
out there considering your hurt?
S T R IC K L A N D : It’s a little frus­
trating being out there, not being able
to be at full strength
O B S E R V E R : A lot o f tim es
y o u ’ve had trouble with players fin­
Tyson In
Trouble
Again
M ik e T y so n c o u ld g o b ack
to p ris o n if it is d e te rm in e d
th a t he v io la te d th e te rm s o f
h is r e le a s e a f te r a c o m p la in t
th at he se x u a lly a s s a u lte d a n ­
o th e r w o m an .
T h e W B A h e a v y w e ig h t
c h a m p io n , on p ro b a tio n fo r
fo r a 1992 ra p e c o n v ic tio n ,
is re s tr ic te d to O h io w h o le
p o lic e in v e s tig a te th e c o m ­
p la in t D u rin g th e in v e s tig a ­
tio n in C h ic a g o , T y so n can
o n ly le a v e is h o m e sta te for
e m e r g e n c ie s fo r fo r o th e r
re a so n s a p p io v e d in ad v a n ce .
L a st w ee k a G a ry , In d .
w o m an c la im e d sh e m et
T y so n at the C liq u e , a p o p u ­
la r S o u th S id e C h i c a g o
n ig h ts p o t and th a t he k isse d
h e r an d bit h e r fa c e . S he a lso
sa id he to u c h e d h e r on an
u n s p e c ifie d p a rt o f h e r b o d y
an d fo rc e d h e r to to u c h him .
T y so n se rv e d six y e a rs o f
a 10 y e a r s e n te n c e fo r ra p in g
a c o n te s ta n t in the M iss B lack
A m e ric a p a g e a n t b e fo re b e ­
ing p la c e d on p ro b a tio n in
1995.
If a u th o ritie s fin d T y so n
v io la te d h is p r o b a tio n , th ey
c o u ld tig h te n the re s tr ic tio n s
o r ad d o th e r c o n d itio n s lik e
e l e c tr o n i c m o n it o r i n g . A t
w o rse he c o u ld h av e to f in ­
ish the la st fo u r y e a rs o f his
o rig in a l s e n te n c e .
Advertise In
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S T R IC K L A N D : Y eah I think
so. Rest would be the only thing that
w ould make it better. But the only
thing, we d o n ’t know how much rest.
It may take two, three w eeks and I
d o n ’t know if I w ant to sit out that
long. O bviously 1 w ant to play, be­
cause I want to be out there
O B S E R V E R : You grew up p lay ­
ing ball in the city how much do you
think that attributes you being able to
have that knack o f taking it to the
basket and not getting your shot
blocked and finishing?
S T R IC K L A N D : I think th a t’s a
big part of it, you know m ost o f the
guys from New Y ork know how to go
to the basket and put the ball in the
hole. Out in the streets we tried all
kinds o f tricks and I think 1 learned
how to use the backboard and use my
body.
O B S E R V E R : W hat is the tough
est part o f playing in the N BA for
you?
S T R IC K L A N D : I d o n ’t know , I
m ean I think it gets easier as you go
along I think now probably ju st the
m onotony of getting up and going to
the shoot-around and going to prac­
tice and doing the same thing over
and over again.
O B S E R V E R : W hat has been the
m ost disappointing part o f the season
so far?
S T R IC K L A N D : O f this season?
Probably just all the controversy .
OBSERVER:
D o you think
to d a y 's professional athletes should
be ju d g ed more on their play on the
field, on the court than they are aw ay
from the gam e?
S T R IC K L A N D : W ell I think. I
d o n ’t know. T h a t’s a tough question
ishing plays, is it a little different
w ith Sabonis?
S T R IC K L A N D : W ell I d o n ’t
even w ant to say that because I think
I have had guys w ho could finish in
the past. But Sabonis is a great
finisher, I m ean he ju st know s how to
m ove w ithout the ball. He gives you
a big target, I m ean it’s easy w ith him.
O B S E R V E R : Y o u ’ve p la y ed
through a lot o f injuries In your c a ­
reer, is this the toughest?
S T R IC K L A N D : Ohh yeah, no
question. T his is the toughest b e­
cause it’s tough being out there when
your used to doing certain things and
you ju st c a n ’t do it.
O B S E R V E R : Do you think that
your som ew hat learning to play with
injuries?
S T R IC K L A N D : I ’ve alw a y s
played with injuries, so th a t’s not a
big deal.
O B S E R V E R : Is part of you strug­
gling with w anting to play and part of
you struggling with wanting to rest.
JOHNSON SUSPENDED THREE GAMES, FINED
M onday by the N-B-A after bumping
second-year official Scott Foster in a
nationally-televised game against the
Phoenix Suns on Sunday. This came
just five days after Johnson publicly
admonished teammate Nick Van Exel
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic
Johnson, suspended for three games
and fined $10,000 for bumping a ref­
eree, M onday called the punishment
“justified” and apologized for his ac­
tions. Johnson was suspended and fined
The J l
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because th a t’s a business and NBA,
NFL those guys up in those offices they
got to nin their businesses like they want
to run it. So I don’t, I mean that’s a tough
question I mean, obviously the easiest
thing for me to say would, you know just
judge by what you do on the court, but I
mean I don’t know.
O B S E R V E R : W hat type o f player
in this league is the toughest for you
to defend?
S T R IC K L A N D : I think a guy
like K evin Johnson w hose quick.
W hen his jum p-shot is on your at his
mercy m ost o f the time.
O B S E R V E R : What can you say
about the nucleus of this team and the
future with what they have far as young
talent?
S T R IC K L A N D : Well I mean, I
can’t even speak on that because I don’t
know what their (management) going to
do and what direction then going in. So
that' s kind of hard question for me to ask
because I don’t know
O B S E R V E R : W hat do you see
in some o f the younger players?
S T R IC K L A N D : I think they have
some very talented young players. Gary
Trent is going to be aplayer, he’s hurt right
now, he’s been struggling but he’s going
to be a player. Randolph (Childress) been
hurt all season but he’sdelinitely going to
be a player. Dontonion (Winilield) has
talent I mean Aaron (M ckie) isonly in his
second or third year and I think he’s going
to be an impact player for a long I ime once
he gets the opportunity to get good shots.
He’s going to be real grxxl
O B S E R V E R : Proven the situation
is right would you like to play here next
year?
S T R IC K L A N D : I don’t want to
talk about that.
Jamboree Day at
Riverside Little League
1
Chuck Washington (Coach/Pubilsher o f the Portland Observer),
Prensents a check from the Oregon Lottery's shratch for charity to
Barbara Marquez President o f Riverside Little Leauge. Also pictured
Gabe Chase and Donnie Harrison (left to right).
The Portland Police Bureau G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance
Education And Training). Joins the already successful Salvation
Army Moore Street Center Youth Basketball Program, providing
basketball for youth, like those pictured above. For further
information 823-2111.
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