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6The Daily Tar Heel Wednesday, March r a M li "This is a tragic day for Micheal Ray Richardson. What we have seen here is nothing less then the destruc tion by cocaine of a once-flourishing career. " NBA Commissioner David Stern When David Stern signed the agree ment with the NBA Players Associa tion on Sept. 28, 1983, calling for any player found using drugs three times to be banned from the league, the pact raised some eyebrows. Stern's tough stance on drugs was the first of its kind in major professional sports in this country. It was a radical approach which had won the attention of many in the sports hierarchy, if not the acclaim. What the plan needed was a guinea pig. On Feb. 25, 1986, Micheal Ray Richardson became that guinea Pig Richardson was the first active NBA player to test the boundaries of Stern's drug plan, and as a result, the troubled former New Jersey Net will not be drib bling a league ball again; at least for two years. (Stern's pact allows for an appeal after two years, offering possi ble reinstatement with the approval of the league and the Players Association.) Richardson's ordeal began in 1983, when after undergoing two drug treat ment programs in May and August of that year, the Net guard informed his coach and team on Oct. 7 that he had suffered a drug relapse and would be prepared to go through rehabilitation. According to Stern's plan, Richardson continued to receive his salary while undergoing treatment at the team's expense. After a mysterious three-day disappearance, he began rehabilitation on Oct. 14 at Regent Hospital in Man hattan. Two and a half weeks later he was released and after serving a two month suspension, Richardson fin ished the 1983-84 season in the Nets backcourt. The following season was a crucial - i 'f. j, . t - -t y . ' J-V . h - North Carolina's scftbsll tssm recorded two impressive home victories Tuesday afternoon behind strong pitching Softball slrats out UNC-W, Seton Ha By KATHY MULVEY Staff Writer Take a bushel of powerful pitching, add a dash of timely hitting and a chunk of solid defense and stir it together in a breezy spring afternoon. These ingredients came together yesterday at Finley Field for the North Carohna softball team, as the Tar Heels swept a doubleheader against UNC Wilmington and Seton Hall. The victories upped the team's overall record to 10-4, after a 5-4 Spring Break that included big wins over Northern Illinois and Indiana State. Pitcher Virginia Augusta excelled in yesterday's opener, striking out 17 while firing a perfect game. Her repertoire of drop pitches, risers, curveballs and tricky change-ups dazzled the UNC-W hitters, keeping the ball out of the hands of the Tar Heel defense except for the quick toss around the infield after each UK." Unfortunately, the Tar Heel bats were suffering a power shortage of their own, but for the opposite reason: the UNC-W pitcher's off-speed stuff threw off the timing that the UNC players have developed from hours of practic ing against fast pitching. MWe were hitting the ball, but we were hitting it right to people," Coach Donna Papa said. "It kind of lulled us to sleep." The Tar Heels had planned to play under the ten-run rule against their rivals from the shore, figuring that a blowout was possible. However, it was not until the bottom of the sixth inning, as thoughts of an eighth-inning tie breaker and Harvey Haddix's 12-inning no-hitter loomed, that the UNC batters foil & . nn FMff Iks 19, 1986 fftlflne 1M() ffbir Mklhesil E a mm Opinion test for the man known as "Sugar Ray." The man and the guard passed the test brilliantly. Richardson not only steered clear of drugs, but his 20.1 points per game, league-leading 2.9 steals and 8.2 assists earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors. It was a dream come true for Sugar Ray, the Nets and for Stern. But for a drug addict, dreams can turn to nightmares in the time it takes to dribble a basketball. The tempta tion of cocaine began to destroy Sugar Ray during another three-day disap pearance in the middle of the current season. On Dec. 31, Richardson con tacted the Nets with news of another relapse. Stern's policy for the second offense is suspension without pay and further drug rehabilitation. Richard son was treated at Adult Substance Abuse Program in Van Nuys, CA, and released to the Nets after 18 days. The pressure of a pro basketball career, a failing second marriage, a lin gering desire for cocaine, and the eyes of many vultures waiting for him to slip up led Sugar Ray into exile from . his sport and his career. The third offense in February led to the realiza tion of the commissioner's ultimate threat and his subsequent grim sentence. The jury is still out on the success or failure of Stern's drug program. Many questions remain. First of all, the case of Micheal Ray Richardson is far from closed. Richard son's actions will continue to be moni tored by the NBA and especially the New Jersey Nets, who have offered to fund more treatment. "We want to do " awoke from their slumber. Even then, the rally didn't knock down any fences: Augusta advanced her own cause by bringing home the lone run on a sacrifice bunt by Tracey Beine. When Augusta retired the last three UNC-W batters in order, the Tar Heels had a hard-earned 1-0 victory. North Carolina came alive with a barrage of runs in the second game, downing Seton Hall by an 1 1-0 margin. "We really picked up offensively, and continued the good defensive play," Papa said. The pickup included a three- t ti It O ; f i t-:mf of the Business School Mommmm A s M f t fiesta .4' J ' s ? " 1 06 Carroll Hall xjfZiTyf''yt'' 'J .'.it r s. I ' X ... K: -f Presented by the Special Projects Committee YEMS AT For information & application for 1986-87 See: Program Secretary UNC, Dey Hall 962-0154 Application Deadline April 1,1985 whatever is possible to support him, even if he can't play for the team," Nets' vice president Lewis Schaffel said. "We will pay for counseling, for rehabilitation. Simply because he's not playing, we haven't forgotten him." So Richardson's saga remains on hold until the victim himself charts his future course. In the meantime, few argue that his treatment has been any thing but fair. Sugar Ray certainly had plenty of chances to right himself. "We have a term called 'enabling,' " said Dr. David M. Lewis, medical director of Adult Substance Abuse Program. "We ask ourselves, 'Are we helping a person remain addicted?' If you allow somebody more than three chances, are you contributing to his destruction?" The arguments do not stem from the amount of rehabilitation sessions, but in the length of these treatments and the subsequent "healing" periods. In both cases, Richardson's rehabilita tion programs inside the clinic lasted less than three weeks, and in each instance he was on the basketball court again before the end of the season. For Richardson's sake and that of his teammates, the second offense should have carried a suspension for the balance of the season. Sugar Ray was not suitably threatened by a penalty that allowed him back on the court less than a month after his relapse. The effect of Richardson's ordeal on his teammates has been obvious. Before the star guard's relapse in December, the Nets had won nine of their last 10 games and had a 19-13 record. The team seemed poised to finally join the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers in the elite of the NBA's Atlantic Division. After Sugar Ray's departure, the team's harmony disintegrated into sporadic squabbling on the bench and in the locker room and a 13-19 stretch. "We're supposed S : 2 -,J DTHKerstin Coyle run first inning and Tar Heel tallies in every inning but the third, leading UNC to a welcome laugher. Regina Finn backed up the offensive burst with a solid performance on the mound, weaving a one-hit shutout. She also went three-for-three at the plate. Augusta drove in two runs on two-for-four hitting, and first baseman Pam Long also picked up two RBI on a triple ripped down the left field line. If the Tar Heels can put together a string of afternoons like Tuesday's, they are apt to bring home a batch of victories. ti. 4 if - J t't mf . - r:: 9 " W V y v t v A , i .. Student tickets $3.50 Available at Union Box Office Presented by the Performing Arts Committee in conjunction with Black Women's Leadership Symposium to go out there and play basketball, but you just can't wipe something like this out of your mind," Net forward Albert King said. Only after Richardson's banishment have the Nets gathered themselves. Since the matter was closed, the team is 5-5 including a 130-102 victory over the Washington Bullets on Monday night. ' The mood among Richardson's teammates is one of sorrow for their colleague, but relief that a final deci sion has been made. "You hope and pray, especially in Micheal Ray's case that he pulls himself together," Net guard Kelvin Ransey said. "We won't be able to replace him, but maybe this will settle us." The players did not express concern over the severity of their teammate's penalty. The general approval of Stern's handling of the matter may have encouraged Baseball Commis sioner Peter Ueberroth to take similar strong action against players impli cated in last year's baseball drug trials. Still, Richardson feels that commis sioner's threats are less valuable in solv ing drug problems than a player's per sonal feelings. "Rules won't do it," Richardson said. "It's an illness and only the player can cure it. The big problem is that people who are on drugs are afraid to admit it. They have this terrible fear of getting up in the morning and seeing a newspaper head line that so-and-so is on drugs." Ironi cally, this fear of media exposure that encourages players to keep their drug problems to themselves, is also a very effective deterrent. Bad press can act as a sufficient threat to a player on the verge of temptation. Only a combination of authority and players' fears can bring a solution to the growing drug problem in profes sional sports. Even these incentives may not be enough. Whatever the future holds for Micheal Ray Richard son, the guinea pig will stand as proof. High school finals slated for SAC Chapel Hill will play host to the final high school basketball games in the state this weekend when eight teams square off for the state-wide championships in four divisions at the Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center on Saturday, March 22. Orrum will face Currituck for the state championship at the 1A level at 1 p.m. Orrum is undefeated this season ( , with a record of 26-0 while Currituck sports a 23-4 record. At 3:30 p.m., North Rowan will play Ayden-Grifton for the state 2A title. North Rowan is 28-2 and Ayden Grifton enters the contest with a 25 3 record. The game for the 3A championship, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will pit Rutherfordton-Spindale Central against West Craven. R-S Central boasts a 28-1 record while West Craven has 23 wins in its 28 games. The final game, for the state 4 A title, will be decided between West Charlotte (28-0) and Raleigh Broughton (23-4). That contest is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Tickets for the two afternoon or the two evening games are $5 and can be purchased at the Smith Center on Saturday. THURSDAY Baseball vs. Vermont 3:00 pm Boshamer Stadium Softball vs. Virginia (DH) 2:00 pm Finley Softball Field FRIDAY Women's Tennis vs. Furman 2:00 pm UNC Tennis Center "iC"""" ""1 J Wriiim WiBiiiini "Voices in resistance against racism, lynching, slavery, rape . . . discrimination, hunger and unfair housing expressing the commitment of being Black . . . women . . people 4 . . and the world human family. " Thursday, March 27 8:00 pm Memorial Hall C4RCXINk rl CHAR DSON REHABILITATE Li Ogden leaves Simutik with Rocky ML high By SCOTT FOWLER Sports Editor In a quiet ski lodge in Utah last weekend, Kenny Smith got away from the hysteria that overcomes North Carolina annually this time of year. He also was removed from the criticism that had been leveled at his performan ces at point guard during three UNC losses in four games. And his teammates gave him what Carl Rogers labels unconditional pos itive regard, something that comes to high-profile college athletes once every Halley's comet or so. The result was the return of the deadly Smith jumper and the realization of an extremely important fact that Smith had forgotten. Basketball is fun. "When you're growing up in New York, you're just happy to play," he said at Tuesday's press conference at the Carolina Inn. "When there's 20 guys waiting for the next game on the court and you're 21st and you finally get to play, you're just happy to be there." Smith might be forgiven for over looking that fact in the past weeks. "He has been pretty maligned by opponents and reporters," said running mate Steve Hale. "It's been a tough year for him. But he has really taken on a leadership role, which is needed with him in the TV Snoops off, prep, nights UNC will no longer compete in televised regular-season basketball games on Tuesday or Friday nights to avoid conflicts with in-state high school basketball, according to athletic direc tor John Swofford. High school officials expressed some concern during the past season when some local college games were televised on those nights, thus lowering attend ance. ACC schools participated in five televised Tuesday night games this season, but the one that drew the lion's share of attention was the UNC Georgia Tech rematch in Atlanta. That game, played on February 4 between the No. 1 and 2 teams in the polls and won by UNC in overtime 78-77, caused a sizeable drop in high school attend ance around the state. "The attendance and revenue derived from the high schools' Tuesday and f mm. VhwiHiiiii in .V TAR HEEL SPECIAL LEADMG EDG Model D Computer $1495 Nota Bene $390 DAT AWAY CarrMill Mall Carrboro, NC je &v point guard slot." Smith scored 33 points in the two games in Ogden, Utah. But UNC will need another solid game from him if it is to beat Louisville (9:09 p.m. tipoff Thursday, Channel 5). Smith will probably be matched up against Louis ville's standout guard and leading scorer Milt Wagner for most of the contest. The defensive improvement that Smith has shown this season will be needed. But let's go back to the pre-ski lodge days of the last few weeks. "The team was playing a little bit tentatively," Smith said. "A lot of the guys were taking things too seriously that people said about us." Smith was pressed. Were you one of the ones taking it too seriously? "Def initely," he said. "When you're playing point, criticism comes with you and praise comes with you.- But being out west with your teammates makes you realize how much they appreciate you." And that led to Smith's peace of mind. "Everyone is together and really has confidence," he said. "We're playing comfortably." But youVe got to keep winning on the blacktops of New York to keep playing comfortably. Maybe it would be a good idea for UNC to stay in that Utah ski lodge again and commute in to Houston. Friday night games are very important to them and their athletic programs at a time when the financing high school athletics is difficult," Swofford said in a release. "Based on reaction to the televised night game this past season, it has become increasingly evident to me that when Carolina is on television on Tuesday or Friday nights there is an impact on the high schools in the state. "We do not want to be a contributor to anything that hurts high school athletics," he said. "Having five other days of the week to televise should certainly provide adequate times for our television needs and we will encourage some Monday night games." - SCOTT FOWLER KEEP WATCHING US NEW JEWELRY STYLES are arriving now! University Square Chcpl Hill S67-8S33 967-7499 4 E
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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March 19, 1986, edition 1
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