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Sports Review
December 1993
EDITOR ft PUBLISHER
Ernest H. Pitt
PRODUCTION
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Players Salaries
Out of Control
Ticket prices are already too high and athletes are
making too much money. It's got to stop.
You can't blame the athletes.
If I'm Larry Johnson and I can make $84 million
to put on a pair of shorts and shoot a basketball, hell
yeah, I'm gonna do it.
Who wouldn't?
But sports is getting to the point where it's bor
dering on ridiculous. The athletes in baseball and bas
ketball are making $7 and $8 million a year regularly.
And as soon as Johnson signs a 1 1-year, $84 million
contract with Charlotte's NBA Hornets, here comes
New Jersey's Derrick Coleman wanting $100 million.
And who is Derrick Coleman? What has he done
for us lately? Hasn't even played in an all-star game.
It gets worse. Rookies are making three, four and
five times as much as veterans. Anfernee "Penny
"Hardaway, signed a $40-plus million dollar contract
with the Orlando' Magic before he dribbled the ball
one on the NBA floor. Makes as much as Shaqville
(before endorsements).
A Penny make as much as Shaq?
Give me a break.
And you know who gels to pay all these guys?
Me and you.
NBA tickets prices went up 7.7 percent this year,
and the average ticket price rose to $27.12 this season
from $25.18. The average cost of a Major League
Baseball ticket went up 1 .7 percent to $29.57 this sea
son. NFL tickets prices increased 3.5percent to
$28.68.
The Consumer Price Index, the broadest measure
for inflation, has risen at an annual rate of 2.5 percent
in 1993.
But that's average.
The New York Knicks, for example, charge
$39.66 for an average ticket, up 9.7 percent from last
year. That's the highest in the league.
Indiana is the lowest, averaging $20.71 per ticket.
But even Pacer tickets went up 6.9 prcent
Someone's got to pay these Penny Hardaways of
the world.
Now, I am not a math major, but let's see, you
take the family to see Johnson and the Hornets play
in New York. That's four tickets at $40 each. Say lit
tle Johnny wants a hot dog and Sally Sue wants a
coke. Oh, and you have got to park somewhere or ride
the train or cab.
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SWAC Hopes for Encore of
'92-93 Cinderella Season
The SWAC is back. That is what the league coaches
and players are proclaiming after a banner year from
Southern and Jackson State.
It was by for one of the best season in league history
with Southern knocking off Atlantic Coastr Conference
tournament champion Georgia Tech in the first round of
the NCAA tournament and Jackson State- beating Con
necticut in the opening round of the National Invitation
Tournament
In addition to that, four players from the league were
taken in the NBA draft including two from Mississippi
Valley. . 1 .
l_ "It was a great year for the SWAC," Jackson State
coach Andy Stoglin said.
The big question is whether last year was a one shot
deal for the league. 1
"We have to build on last year's success,** proclaims
SWAC commissioner James Frank.
ALABAMA STATE (14-13 overall in 1992-93. 9-5
SWAC), prediction: First
With starters returning and 10 lettermen; the Hornets
are expected to be the SWAC representative in the
NCAA tournament this season.
"I fell we'll be one of the teams to beat,** Alabama
State coach James Oliver said. "A lot will depend on
^ upon our guard play."
Both Michael Frazier and Devin Warmack are back
at the guard spots.
The Hornets will have one of the league's best front
court duos in Jimmy Lunsford and Kirby Fortenberry.
Lunsford, a 6-8 sophomore center, was spectacular in his
debut at Montgomery last season, averaging 1S.7 points
and 7.5 rebounds per game. Fortenberry averaged 12.9
points and 7.8 rebounds. "Our frontline is the best in the
league," Oliver said. "and with another year of experience
under their belts, we should be even stronger. We can
show versatility and have depth at each position.**
JACKSON STATE (25-9, 13-1), prediction: Sec
ond
This year's squad has a tough act to follow. The
Tigers had one of the most successful season in school
history. Last year's 25-9 record was the third-best in
school history. Add in the Tigers won the SWAC regular
season title and strung together the nation's longest win
ning streak of 16 games and sent guard Lindsey Hunter to
the NBA as a lottery pick (selected tenth overall by the
Detroit Pistons).
"Our whole thing last year was to make people
respect black college basketball,** JSU coach Andy
Stoglin said.
After stunning Tulane and suffering near losses to
Illinois, Kansas and Memphis State, JSU had the atten
tion for the Tigers is not bare for Stoglin. He has 1 1 let
termen and four of five starters returning from last year's
team.
Leading the cast of returning starters is forward God
frey Thompson, the two-time SWAC Defensive Player of
the Year. Last year the 6-7 senior averaged 7.5 points and
7.1 rebounds while having a league-high 96 blocked
shots.
Stoglin is hoping 64 swingman Ryan Lorthridge can
fill the scoring void left by Hunter. Last year Lorthridge,
a part-time starter, averaged 8.8 points, but came on
strong near the end of the season. John Taylor returns or
his third straight season as the point guard. Taylor had
137 assists last season. "We are very excited about this
Southern prepares for another run at the SWAC title.
The Jaguars went to the NCAA tournament and
shocked Georgia Tech in the first round .
season/* Stoglin said. "We have eight seniors on the team
alone with several guys who played a lot last year. Our
guys saw what hard work did for us last year. Each sea
son and game is different. We are try to establish our own
identity."
SOUTHERN (21-10, 9-5), prediction: Third
The saying around the SWAC is never count out a
Ben Jobe-coached team.
, In his previous 21 years as a coach, Jobe has never
had a losing season. Don't expect this year to be any dif
ferent
The Jaguars, who have lead the nation in scoring the
last two years, will be built around 6-7 forward Jer
Vaughn Scales, who averaged 18.7 points and 12.7
rebounds last year. "JerVaughn will have to be the focal
point of our basketball team" Jobe said. "He will have to
be involved in every phase of our game. He has proven
that he can play with the better players in the country and
he will have to lead by example."
Scales, a native of Dayton, Ohio, spent the summer
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