■ S PORTS
Blacks Denied
Top Positions
In Pro Sports
BY BARRY COOPER
PRO SPORTS’ GOOD OLE BOY
SYSTEM ALIVE AND WELL
Quickly: Blacks are passed over
for top sports management positions
because they a) lack the necessities;
b) are not interested; or c) because in
pro sports, it’s not what you know but
who you know.
If you picked any answer other than
the last one, then you immediately
qualify for free membership in the A1
Campanis/Jimmy “The Greek” Fan
Club.
You remember, of course, that
Campanis and the Greek, through
separate but equally stupid
statements, told us that blacks should
quit bellyaching about wanting better
sports jobs and simply stick to runn
ing for touchdowns or soaring for
slam dunks.
Of course, that is a ridiculous posi
tion to take, and Campanis and the
Greek received the national flogging
they so richly deserved. But despite a
public outcry and massive media at-'
tention paid to the issue after their
statements, meaningful minority hir
ing in pro sports and by major col
leges is practically nil.
There are no numbers available,
but suffice it to say that ad
ministrators are conducting business
as usual with mostly white staffs.
A year ago, the Washington Red
skins hired former Howard Universi
ty sports information director Donnie
fuck as their public relations direc
tor Sadly, that marriage didn’t last
and Tuck departed after nine months.
Tuck was the NFL’s first black PR
director. He was inexperienced, and
by his own admission, made some
mistakes. Now it will be interesting to
see whether the league forges ahead
in search of other black candidates or
whether the team bosses, aware of
the Redskins/Tuck situation, will sit
back in their chairs and say, “See,
told you so.”
Others may not agree, but the feel
ing here is that when a black man or
woman is hired for a job, they have a
responsibility to represent only
themselves, not the entire black race.
If one black stumbles, it does not
mean the entire race has suffered a
setback. Each candidate must be bas
ed on his merit and performance.
Nothing more.
without a aouDt, pro teams are
scared to death of the minority hiring
issue. They just don’t want to deal
with it, gun shy over the possibility of
hiring a minority candidate who
might not work out and cause a
ruckus on his/her way out the door.
That’s a cowardly excuse to hide
behind, but it’s happening.
With all this in mind, it is with keen
interest that we are watching the ar
rival of four new teams into the Na
tional Basketball Association over
the next two seasons. Now here’s a
chance for pro sports to make some
real progress, what with these teams
having not hired a soul when they
were awarded franchises.
Three of the clubs—Miami,
Charlotte and Orlando—nearly are
fully staffed. Sadly, few minorities
have been hired.
Give the Charlotte-Hornets credit.
They hired Gene Littles, who is black,
as player personnel director, a key
spot. Clayton Smith, also black, left
Florida A&M to become the Hornets’
ticket director, a critically important
.job.
Orlando has hired one black, a
-. secretary. The Miami Heat have a
I'Sevi blacks working in clerical areas.
The expansion teams are proving
: - that who you know is as important as
• '• any factor. In Miami, virtually every
• key front-office staffer is either from
-.'•New Jersey or has ties to Heat
managing general partner Lew
.':"Schaffel. In Orlando, virtually all the
>•' top jobs have gone to people who
■ worked with general manager Pat
^’-Williams in Philadelphia. In
Ij' Charlotte, those with ties to vice
’- president Carl Sheer have had the up
! per hand.
Unquestionably, racism exists in
pro sports, but minorities can get on
ly so much mileage out of that
crunch. Then it’s time to move on.
Young minorities, particularly those
working at historically black schools
as publicists, have to knock on doors.
Put the heat on them. Volunteer for
those low-paying jobs. Get a foot in
the door. Get to know people. Become
a part of the clique.
What we need is a flood of qualified
applicants racing into the doors of pro
teams, staying on top of the scene,
understanding what it takes to break
into the clique. It’s called networking,
not quite as effective as eliminating
racism, but then, that’s not a
possibility, is it?
Eagles' Flayer
n wide receiver Billy “White
lohnson and Charlie Brown
ieased by the Indianapolis
ore even playing a down for
's AFC Eastern Conference
average (3,291)
Atlan
“1 16s.
HALL OF FAME - Former Pittsburg Pirate slugger WNNe Stargell was in Raleigh
recently to discuss and participate In plans for the World Home Black Hall of Fame
to be located In Southeast Raleigh. Stargell was a member of the Pirates
championship teams in the '70s. (Photo by TaNb Sablr-Calloway)
if** n«ma. „
Ul>,0d*IF„rZl0”**
As the new spokesperson for the
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Michigan,
Isiah Thomas is a great addition to
the Coca-Cola family because of his
personal excellence, not only as an
athlete, but also as a great human be
ing.
In his quiet and determined way,
Isiah has won the heart of Michigan
and much of the nation. He has
become an All-American role model
whose concern for today’s youth has
been expressed in numerous ways.
“We chose Isiah because he’s a
natural,” said Heide Gardner,
business development manager for
the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of
Michigan. “Young people identify
strongly with his success and his
honest demeanor.”
The youngest of nine children, he
grew a “team player” on the West
Side of Chicago. Although his
neighborhood was plagued with many
urban ills, the close-knit love and
compassion of the Thomas family
nurtured Isiah’s drive to succeed.
Isiah’s deep love and great respect
for his mother, Mary, who has ap
peared with him in several public ser
vice announcements, is well known
by many of Detroit’s youth.
Isiah, Detroit Pistons captain ana
point guard, inspired all Pistons’ fans
by leading his team to a crushing
defeat of the Boston Celtics and winn
ing the NBA Eastern Conference
championship for the first time in
nearly 30 years. His display of grit
and guts was witnessed and applaud
ed by millions as he played with in
juries and set an all-time scoring
record in the sixth game of the NBA
world championship series against
the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Isiah is an example of what hard
work and dedication can give you in
life-he’s an All-Star on and off the
court,” said Gardner.
As basketball fans braced for game
three of the Pistons-Lakers
showdown and with Father’s Day on
the minds of many, Isiah and his wife
of three years, LyAn, welcomed their
firstborn, a son whom they named
Joshua. Isiah and Lynn, college
sweethearts, spend much of their
time at their Bloomfield Hills home
relaxing with Joshua, their new “lit
tle dribbler.”
Isiah, who received a degree in
criminal justice from Indiana
University in 1987, was drafted in the
first round (second overall) in 1981 by
consecutive field goals in one game.
Isiah’s commitment to civic causes
has made him one of the most
the Pistons, with whom he has a
10-year contract. He has been
characterized as one of the outstan
ding basketball players ever to play
the game. In his seven years as a
Pistons point guard, he has become
the team leader in both assists and
steals, and ranks third on the all-time
Pistons scoring list. In 1984 and 1986,
Isiah was chosen most valuable
player in the NBA All-Star Game. He
set the Pistons’ record for scoring 13
recognizable Motor City represen
tatives, particularly as a result of his
“No Crime Day” program.
“Isiah and Coke are sure to become
a winning combination,” said Gard
ner. “Together they will provide
refreshing entertainment and excite
ment for Michigan-area soft drink
consumers.”
Sugar Ray Says
He Refuses To
Retire Again
Three-time champion Sugar Ray
Leonard, who has quit boxing four
times, said, “I’ll never retire again,”
while announcing yet another com
eback, this time against World Box
ing Council light-heavyweight champ
Donnie Lalonde.
“I told you guys some time ago I
was going to try to retire,” Leonard
told the press conference. “I tried. It
didn’t work.”
Leonard, 32, last retired after his
April 6,1987 defeat of Marvin Hagler
for Hagler’s WBC middleweight title.
He will contend for both Lalonde’s
light-heavyweight title and the
WBC’s new 188-pound super
middleweight crown. A win would
make Leonard the only fighter to win
titles at five different weight classes.
Thomas Hearns is the only fighter to
win titles at four weight classes.
No date nor site were set for the
fight, which could take place in early
November. Leonard and Lalonde will
fight for a percentage of the gross.
Mike Trainer, attorney for Leonard,
said the former champ will make his
biggest paycheck. He earned 912
million when he defeated Thomas
Hearns in 1981.
Ironically, Hearns, who lost his last
bout to Iran Barkley by KO, is seek
ing a bout with World Boxing Associa
tion super-middleweight champ
in capturing a fifth title.
iSliin iHOMAS TEAMING UP-lsiah Thomas and The Coca
Cola Bolting Company of Michigan team up to promote the
“Ail-Star Refresher,” including newspaper advertisements.
World’s Fastest Men Make Dash
To Begin Race For Olympic Gold
ZURICH, Switzerland CAP)•—It
was billed as a night of supreme
rivalry, and it turned out just that
way.
But it was the match of Butch
Reynolds against Lee Evans’ 20-year
old record that provided the thunder.
Reynolds’ performance in the 400
meters highlighted the battle of con
temporary sprinters on a night that
pitted the two fastest men in the
world against each other, sprinter
Carl Lewis (USA) and Ben Johnson
(Canada).
Reynolds overshadowed both
sprinters Dy oreak'ng Evans' 1968
mark He carved a staggering half
second off Evans’ 400-meter record
by turning in a blistering 43.29 pace to
Evans’ 43.87 at the Mexico City Olym
pic Games. The feat was accomplish
ed with no wind-aid and at normal
altitude. Evans’ feat had been ac
complished at high altitude.
In the sideshow which everyone
thought would be the main event,
Lewis and Johnson continued their
pre-Olympic throw-down. Lewis
managed to get the better of Johnson
by breezing to a 9.93 in the 100-yard
daslt, the fastest time recorded m the
world this year. The USA’s Calvin
Smith edged out Johnson for second
place in the event. With all done and
said, this race really wasn’t near
anything compared to next month’s
dash for the gold in Seoul, South
Korea.
The psychological mind games bet
ween Lewis and Johnson will carry on
for about another month. Then it will
be time for both men to put it all on
the line, when the dash for the gold1
begins. Lewis and Johnson were paid
a reported $250,000 for their pre
Olympic feats.
YWCA Sponsors
Swim Courses
For AU Ages
The Raleigh Special Populations
Program and the YWCA, 1012 Oberlin
Road, are sponsoring two swim
courses of instruction to persons of all
ages who are either mentally or
physically impaired.
The courses are designed to assess
individual current skill levels and set
challenging goals. The courses will be
taught on a one-to-one swim
mer/instructor basis with instructors
from the Special Populations Pro
gram and the YWCA staff. Classes
will be held on eight consecutive
Tuesdays beginning Sept. 27 from
4-4:30 p.m. for mentally handicapped
individuals and on eight consecutive
Thursdays beginning Sept. 29 from
4-4:30 p.m. for physically handicap
ped individuals.
Registration will be held beginning
Aug. 29 at the YWCA, Oberlin Road.
A $16 class fee plus a current YWCA
membership will be charged to each
participant. Registration is on a first
come, first-served basis with a limit
of six per class. A swimsuit, towel
and swim cap are needed by each
participant. For more information
contact the Special Populations Pro
gram at 755-6832 or the YWCA at
828-3206.
Indy Car Champs Head
For Quaker State 500
The Indy Car PPG point standings
for the 1988 CART season are among
the most competitive in the organiza
tion’s 10-year history. With several
drivers competing for the champion
ship, the Pooono Raceway oval in
Long Pond, Pa., will be the next bat
tleground as NBC’s “SportsWorld”
presents coverage (same-day tape)
of the Quaker State 500 Sunday, Aug.
21.
Charlie Jones will anchor NBC’s
race coverage, with commentary
from Indy Car driver Johnny Ruther
ford. Gary Gerould and Sally Larvick
will report from the pit areas.
The Quaker State race will com
plete two-thirds of the CART racing
series for 1988. The defending cham
pion is Rick Mears, who ended a two
year victory drought when he took the
checkered flag last August, In turn
ing back the challenge of Geoff
Brabham and Roberto Guerrero,
Mears squeezed every ounce of fuel
he had, finally running out of gas on
his second cool-down lap after being
declared the winner. Mears has won
at Pocono three of the six times he
has entered. He has sat on the pole in
each of this season’s two previous
500-mile races, Indianapolis and
Michigan.
Mears this year won the In
dianapolis 500 and won at Milwaukee
a week later. Danny Sullivan is cur
rently the Indy Car point leader, with
104 points following his win at
Michigan on Aug. 7. Defending cham
pion Bobby Rahal is next with 87,
followed by A1 Unser, Jr. with 86 and
Mears with 80. In winning at
Michigan, Sullivan maintained an
average of 180.654 miles per hour, the
fastest 500-mile race of all time.
Though several drivers have posted
wins this year, one constant has ben
the performance of the Chevrolet
engine, which has powered Indy ears
to nine of nine wins and eight of nine
pole positions.
Summer League
Teams Compete
In Semifinals
On Thursday, the Chavis sum
mer league basketball games
were played at St. Augustiae’s
College. In the semifinals, with
four teams participating.
A-Team downed WATCO tS-57. In
the other semifinal, last year's
champion the Blue Devtb were
upset by the Method Killers,
53-48.
The championship game was
scheduled to take place Friday
between A-Team and the Method
Killers.
Coach “Bill” Collick Emerging
As Most Outstanding In Ranks
BY Al, HARGROVE
Staff Writer
Our MEAC Preview shifts to the
rolling hills of the Delaware Valley.
At this instance, we focus in on one of
the truly up-and-coming college foot
ball coaches in the ranks. On the cam
pus of Delaware State University in
Dover. Del., head coach William
•‘Bill’ Cohick, 3fi, is emerging as one
of the outstanding young black
coaches in the nation. Entering his
fourth season at Delaware State Col
lege, Collick has compiled an amaz
ing 23-9 record. The record speaks for
itself, establishing Collick as one of
the best in Division I-AA.
Previously, Collick served as
defensive coordinator and wrestling
coach (and won the MEAC title) for
the Hornets, from 1981-84. During his
tenure on the Delaware State cam
pus, the Hornets have fashioned one
of the better defensive units in Divi
sion I-AA Collick has also produced
the only MEAC title for the school by
capturing the ’83 league title.
Bill Collick is probably one of the
least known and most under
publicized coaches in the nation. For
the past three years, Collick has kept
the Hornets in the midst of the MEAC
title chase, challenging powerful
Howard Uniersity to the wire in ’87.
Delaware State finished 7-3 overall,
4-1 in the MEAC In the season finale,
the Hornets had a chance to finish
their MEAC season unblemished. But
it wasn't meant to be, as Howard
University pulled out a 12-7 victory.
True to the test, Delaware State held
Howard to their lowest point total of
the season in that game
Now, after having helped the
Hornets to a league title in two dif
ferent sports, Collick has his sights
on another MEAC football champion
ship and a Division I-AA playoff
berth.
The Hornets will start the 88 cam
paign trying to remold yet another
strong defensive unit. The loss of six
starters on defense may hurt. Key
players gone from the team have left
Delaware State with large holes to be
filled. Gone are defensive stalwarts
Robert Presbury and Lybrant Robin
son. These two bookends in the
Hornets’ defensive line will be hard to
replace. Their physical ability will of
course be sorely missed, but it was
the leadership that they provided that
could hurt the most.
Also gone are top defensive back
William Sheppard and linebackers
Derek Andrews and Kevin Bryant.
The loss of that many quality athletes
on defense is cause enough to make a
coach wonder long into the night abut
his forthcoming season. But Collick
and defensive coordinator Gregory
McLaurin will try to reassemble the
unit. If that isn’t enough to worry
about, Colick will also be without the
school’s all-time leading rusher, Ter
rance Hoover, who was a senior in
1987.
The hub of the defense will be built
around junior linebacker Eric Wain
wrieht. a Penn State transfer. Wain
wright was sensational in his first
season for the Hornets. At 6’0”, 220,
he was all over the place. He scooped
up a first eaven in the MEAC—three
rookie of the week honors last season.
In the.course of the season Wain
wright (who from now on will be
known as “Painwright” to his op
ponents) registered 62 tackles, 24
unassisted), along with five intercep
tions, five pass breakups and two
quarterback sacks for -20 yards.
At the other linebacker slot, 6’4”,
215 Marvin Bright most likely will
move over from his defensive back
spot in '87. Bright smashed opposing
players for a total of 64 tackles, five
sacks, one interception and one fum
ble recovery. Filling out the
linebacker corps are 6’2”, 215 O’Neal
.2.
Pressley and #T\ 225 Craig Parsley.
The resurrection of the defensive
line will start with the defensive end
slots. Tentatively penciled in are
Steve Rose, 8’S”, 250, and Malcolm
Showell, O’O”, 250. These two
soptxftnores saw limited action last
season. Showell played in eight
games, while Rose appeared in two
for Delaware State.
In the middle of the trenches, two
more sophomores will be heavily
counted on. Paul Harris and Corey
Felton both weigh in at 250 lbs. Coach
Collide stated at the recent media
gathering, “Defense is probably our
biggest weakness. We will have to de
pend on sophomores to do the Job.”
If there is any noticeable slackoff in
play across the line then Collick may
spring one of his redshirt freshmen
into action. Greg Johnson, at «’2”,
280, might get a chance to mix it up on
the line.
In the secondary, junior Reggie
Johnson, 5’U”, 175, 4.6 speed in the
40, matches up against the
opposition’s deep threats. Johnson
played in all 10 games last season,
recording 21 tackles, with four in
terceptions and six pass break-ups.
At the other corner, junior Elvis
Hines returns after playing in nine
contests for the Hornets. Hines notch
ed 24 tackles in ’87.
Mark Ware will fill out the secon
dary at the free safety spot. Ware is a
ballhawk (three interceptions in ’87)
who has the potential to be an all
conference player, according to the
coaching staff. Ware is a 6’1”, 185
junior from Hyattsville, Md.
On the offensive side of the ball, the
Hornets will try to move on without
Hoover. “We will pass the ball more
this season,” said Collick. At the
quarterback position, Darren Felton
ended ’87 on a high note for Delaware
State. Felton was impressive down
the stretch. At 6’1”, 210, he will try to
balance out Delaware State’s offen
sive attack with a mixture of running
and passing. Felton played in five
games last season, connecting on
eight of 23 passes for 170 yards and no
TDs. He hasn’t got a lot of ex
perience, so he’ll have to learn on the
job during the early part of the game.
Delaware State will stress toe wing
T formation on offense. The Hornets
will need more scoring punch in the
second half of their ballgames this
season. They only scored at a clip of
eight points a game in the second half
of their games in 1887. And they won’t
have that experienced defensive unit
to count on to hold the score down this
year.
If Felton can deliver the ball on call
from the wing T set, he will be able to
use the services of speedster Tim
Egerton, 5’11”, 186,4.4 in the 40.Eger
ton came on strong in ’87 with 21 cat
ches for 384 yards, while alao serving
as a punt returner (tope in the MEAC
with 346 yards, an 18.3 yard average).
Egerton is one of the keys the Hornets
will use in their offensive scheme.
When Delaware State sets up in the
wing T, they’ll put Mike Riddick in
the backfield. Riddick, at 6’4”, 215, is
an outstanding pass catcher and
blocker. He will operate from the
halfback slot and most of the time,
probably adding motion to the
Hornets’ offense, with 4.4 speed. He
and Egerton could cause a lot of pro
blems.
Also, toss in Regge Barnes with his
4.5 speed at fullback to complement
Riddick and Egerton’s speed. Lining
up at the other back spot, the Hornets
will flip-flop John Barber and
freshman Wendell Watson from the
left halfback position. Watson will get
the chance to work himself into the
1 Hornets’ attack as the season pro
gresses.
The Hornets will be looking to make
the quick sting on offense with their
barn-burners.
Along the Une, tfce Hornets Wffl
welcome beck a trio of veteran, 6’3”,
270 senior Justin Proctor at outside
tackle, «’l”, MO senior Cordie
Greenlea at center, and 8’2", 265
senior Lee Johneon at ilis mw out
side tackle position. The is
there, that they are together for
another year will make afternoons at
Altanni Stadium even more fun than
in the past, says the Delaware State
vem guide. Freshman Rodderlck
MUstoad is being given a shot at one
Suard spot along with Charles Looey.
The Hornets will start the ’88
■oasoo somewhat young and inex
perienced at a few positions on of
fense and defense, but they win
quickly get baptised under fire when
they host Ken Riley’s Gators of
FAMU on Sept 8. Improving on last
year’s 7-3 record and 4-1MEAC mark
wUl be a tough task for Colllck and
the Hornets. This will be a real strong
tost tor Colllck and his troops. The
key question is whether or not
Delaware State can continue their
winning ways after losing so many
quality people in ’88.
“We have some talent,” says Col
lick. “We have some young people
who aren’t groat people when they ar
rive, but they get in the weight room
and work toward it.” If Delaware
State is going to win the MEAC crown
in ’88, they’ll have to work toward it.
Next: A took at N.C. AST’s new
bead coach. Hayes turns in Ids Ram
red for Aggie blue and gold.