Portland observer., June 14, 2000, Page 8, Image 8

June 14, 2000
Page B2
ÿtartlanô (Oh sv ruer
Have a Happy
Father's Day
■ Metro/Sports
Pacers need more from Smits
aggressively to double-team , we
rotated out o f it a lot faster, we limited
their open shots, our defense was
better.”
Even with it coming elsewhere beside
Smits.
Smits played only 19 minutes, was 3
of-11 from the field and had six
rebounds. All sixofhis points came in
the first quarter. In the three games,
he is shooting 34 percent, averaging
8.0 points a game and has fewer
rebounds than even Jalen Rose or
Mark Jackson.
He admits the frustration is getting to
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rik Smits has become the Indiana
Pacers regular go-to guy. As in, go
to the bench while someone else
tries to guard Shaquille O ’Neal.
T he 7-foot-4 Sm its, not quick
enough either to play in front o f
O ’Neal to deny him the ball or to
avoid fouling him when he spins to
the basket, has become almost an
invisibleman in the Pacers’ rotation.
Early fouls, poor shooting, even
worse rebounding all have sapped
Sm its’ effectiveness in the NBA
Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Yet he’ll be him.
there, at least for the opening tip, in Game 4 “I know 1 can play better than this, especially offensively,
Smits said. “Yesterday, I really had a good chance, I was able
Wednesday night.
“Who are we going to change to?” coach Larry Bird to stay out o f foul trouble, got some real good looks at the
basket. They just didn’t drop for me.”
asked Monday.
“W e’ve got to start him, and w e’ve got to try to get But backing away from O ’Neal to avoid fouls and an early trip
him in the scoring area and score some baskets,” Bird to the bench w on’t work either, he said.
said. "Defensively, I thought last night he did as well “I find if I play aggressively on defense a lot o f times I end
as he’s done in the three games, so obviously w e’d up playing better on offense later on,” Smits said. “If I stay
like to get more out o f him, but we just have to wait somewhat timid and try to stay away from fouls, it’s tough to
get going offensively because I’m kind o f timid there too.
and see if we do.”
The Pacers gave up on the Hack-a-Shaq tactic that Bird said Smits seems to be playing “out o f synch.”
failed them in a Game 2 loss in Los Angeles, when they “H e’s just not getting the job done. But hopefully in the next
sent O ’Neal to the foul line a Finals-record 39 times. game we can get something out ofhim because he is big, he’s
Instead, using double-teaming and switching Dale very capable o f scoring points for us. Every point that he gets
Davis and Sam Perkins on O ’Neal, they held him to 33 is going to help us,” Bird said.
points — his low for the Finals— and the Pacers won The Pacers finally got big scoring from Reggie Miller, who
100-91 to pull within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. had 33 points and hit eight straight free throws in the fourth
“This is more the Pacer team I’m used to seeing than quarter to protect a one-time 18-point lead. In the series.
in Game 1 and Game 2,” Smits said. “We were setting Miller is 20-for-20 from the foul line but still does not have a
the tone. This is more Pacer basketball. We tried fourth-quarter field goal.
Young looks to new roles as father, businessman
Assot iaieu P ress
It took Steve Young months to finally
decide to give up football. Once he
made his mind up, the rest was easy.
“ Do I w ant to keep p la y in g ?
A b so lu te ly ,” Y oung said after
announcing his retirement Monday,
e n d in g a 15-year N FL c a re e r
highlighted by 13 seasons with the
San Francisco 49ers, the team he took
to a 1995 Super Bowl title.
“ But is it the right time to retire? Yes.
Idon’t want people to think I’m forlorn
about this. On the way here with my
family, all o f us were laughing. This is
a celebration form e.”
Young, 38, whose plans to leave
footbal I became known late last week,
made one final trip to the locker room
at the49ers’ Santa Clara headquarters
to formalize his retirement in front of
an audience o f fam ily, friends,
teammates and coaches. He played
his final game last Sept. 27 in Arizona,
where a violent hit left him with his
fourth concussion in three years.
The choice o f the locker room for his
farewell to football was deliberate.
“One o f the secrets o f my success
has always been I show up for work
every day and I give it all I’ve got,”
Young said. “This is where I showed
up for work. I guess I wanted to show
In many ways, Young said he viewed
retirement as a beginning, not an
PAST
fflK M
End o f th e s e a s o n
FAM IL Y P IC N IC
P E N IN S U L A P A R K (By the playground)
H ELP US C ELEB R A TE A N O T H E R
S U C C E S S F U L SEA SO N
P a rtic ip a te in th e b e s t
“ C a m e o f th e C e n tu r y ' as
P e n in s u la p la y e rs t a k e on
th e P e n in s u la C o a c h e s &
P a re n ts !
T -B a ll G a m e & 1 :3 0 p m - K a is e r P e rm a n e n te vs.
P o p e y e ’s
E n te r th e “ P e n in s u la S K IL L S C o n te s t”
S h o w o ff y o u r P IT C H IN G S T Y L E
T H R O W IN G A B IL IT Y
BA T T /N G T E C H N IQ U E
B A S E R U N N IN G T A L E N T
L a s t c h a n c e to tu rn in te a m u n ifo rm s
street and who complain that the
proposed new right o f way would
funnel traffic directly at their homes.
Makinster said he would support an
arrangement in which the street was
closed for the time being to all but
city vehicles. “I ’ve fought this
probably harder than anyone in this
T IC K E T S
T IC K E T S
S A T U R D A Y
ending. Young was married last spring
to Barbara Graham and the couple is
expecting a baby in December. He
said he’s now dedicating himself to
being “the best father and husband I
can be.”
He noted he is the CEO ofa fledgling
high-tech firm that employs some 120
people in San Francisco, has entered
into a business partnership with friend
and former teammate Brent Jones on
a Silicon Valley startup, and also
oversees a variety o f charity work
th ro u g h h is F o re v e r Y oung
Foundation. Also a lawyer, Young
to help disadvantaged families.
“In many ways, what lies ahead for
from page 1
affair. “There will be a no-host buffet
and bar. Food, beer and wine is
included in the ticket price.
“The organization does tremendous
work for kids, they teach children
respect, punctuality, and other
constructive, em ployable living
fundamentals. The organization also
p rim a rily
w orks
w ith
underrepresented kids,” Dean said.
PAST is a 501 C 3 not-for profit
organization which provides Tennis
Instruction, Family Tennis Events,
Junior Coaches Training, Work-
S tudy
P ro g ram s,
C o lleg e
In te rn sh ip s, S ch o larsh ip s, and
Mentoring and Tutoring for high
school students.
Instructors include Bob Boozer,
former professional tennis player and
U.S. Tennis Player Nancy Osborne,
and Don Johnson ofK ids ‘N Tennis.
T he
o r g a n iz a tio n ’s
T en n is
Instruction Program builds upon the
basic tennis competencies students
learn in grade school and middle
school physical education classes.
The six week instructional program
p ro v id e s stu d e n ts w ith an
u n d e rsta n d in g
of
b asic
fundamentals and stroke techniques
as well as learning sportsmanship
and th e ru le s o f play. PAST
instruction also prepares students
to more effectively move into the
USA Pathway Program.
PAST Family Tennis Events are
designed to promote family and
neighborhood unity through tennis.
A ctiv ities include free clinics,
community tournaments, and social
activities.
PAST’s Junior Coaches Training
provides 14-18yearold tennis players
with the opportunity to learn how to
A L L
LO S
PHOTO COURTESY OF TH E ASSOCIATED PRESS
teach and mentor elementary and
middle school children. The program
includes o n -c o u rt instructional
training, guidelines for mentoring
children, and lessons in character
developm ent, responsibility and
good c itizen sh ip . PAST ju n io r
coaching graduates can also utilize
their skills in the USA Pathway
Program.
The organization’s W ork Study
P ro g ram s re w a rd high school
students who demonstrate promise
and dedication in PAST programs
with paid after-school and summer
employment in the tennis industry
through collaboration with local
tennis organizations.
PAST College Internship programs
help b ro ad en the pool o f the
organizations by hiring and training
college students to coach high school
teams.
The organization’s Scholarships
provide tennis opportunities to
minority and underserved elementary
and middle school students. Financial
assistance is available to help pay for
instructional programs, tournament
fees, tennis lessons, tennis equipment
and travel, even college education.
PA ST also e n h a n c e s stu d e n ts
opportunities for scholarships in the
USA Pathway programs.
Mentoring and Tutoring are inherent
in each o f the aforem entioned
programs, drawing on a variety o f
community resources to help mentor
and tutor participating students.
PAST also provides upper level
students with mentoring experience
useful in USA Pathw ay’s 1-2-3
program.
T he
v o lu n te e r,
n o n -p ro fit
organization w orks w ith select
IN
S T A R T
T H E
AS
room,” Makinster said, “but if you
could say that the (new Emerson)
street would be closed at 34th, you’d
have 12 sig n atu res o f support
tonight.” This puts the case in the
city’s court. The city, and particularly
transportation commissioner Charlie
Hales, is strongly opposed to the
LO W E R
LO W
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17
V A N E S S A
N Y G A A R D
F A M IL Y
AS
S P A R K S
JU N E
me is maybe more important than
what I leave behind,” Young said.
“The talent and skills that I have
gleaned from football hopefully will
enable me to help others pursue similar
dreams.”
The retirem ent news conference
comes nearly nine months after Young
took the devastating hit that left him
unconscious on the turf with his
fourth concussion in three years.
Before that, the seven-time Pro Bowler
used his fearlessness, scrambling
ability and passing accuracy to win
two league MVP Awards. He also
the 49ers to a 49-26 win over San
Diego in the 1995championshipgame.
He won two other Super Bowl rings
schools to introduce the life-long
sport o f tennis to inner-city kids while
assisting them to be good learners
and future productive citizens.
For the past four years, PAST has
promoted membership, discipline,
self-esteem, responsibility, and the
development o f living fundamentals
for children, said PAST Honorary
Member Dr. Ernest Hertzog, Past Asst.
Supt. for Portland Public Schools.
Other Honorary Members include
Oregon State Senator Avel Gordly,
Portland M ayor V era Katz, Dr.
Matthew Prophet, Past PPS Asst.
Supt., and other community leaders.
PAST will host the 2000 Pacific Coast
Championship, PCC, in Portland Sept.
1-4.
The event will mark the first time that
the annual tournament will be in the
northwest in its 79-year-history.
“ I think it’s im portant because
children and minorities w ho’vebeen
long underrepresented in the sport
will have an opportunity to play, enjoy
the sport, and get some exposure,”
Dean said.
PAST has brought together a group
o f stellar organizations and civic
lead ers to ensure a successful
tournament. Partners in this venture
want to make the “Year 2000 Paci fic
Coast Tennis Championships” the
best ever.
The organization is hosting the PCC
multicultural tennis tournament to
help stimulate increased interest in
tennis by a segment o f Portland
citizens long served by the sport. The
fee to attend “A Black Tie and Tennis
Shoe Affair,” is $30 per person. O ff
Street Parking is Available. Ticket
information is available from Rufus
Dean at (503) 449-3192 or by email at
concep t ^ unlimite d l y ahoo.coPT
Concordia from page 1
"P e n in s u la L ittle L e ag u e has Board p o s itio n s a v a ila b le *
V s
A N G E LE S
Steve Young says the fire still burns, but not
enough ’ to keep playing.
J
vacation o f existing streets. In this
c ase, H ales p ro p o se d as a
compromise that Emerson might be
relocated. Hales’ aide Jillian Detweiler
told Concordia the city thinks in terms
o f future as well as proposed uses for
land, and that maintaining as many
through streets as possible gives
people more “choices,” and the
chance to disperse the traffic. “The
more you channel people to a few
choices, the more traffic jam s you
have,” she said. To cut off access to
34th, as M akinster suggested,
“You ’ 11 need to make a strong case to
City Council as to why we should
deviate from city policy,” she said.
One resident com plained that a
chance to regain a grocery store on
the site, which neighbors havecalled
for since the Wilshirc Park Sentry
Market closed in 1994, was being
jeo p ard ized by the 34th street
residents. Concordia land use chair
Hector Roche rejected th is argument.
“Our job is to support ALL the
neighbors,” he said.
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