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Show Davis County Clipper Mhiaift cam sajy? amdl amm(S)j;nirag cDmDmi?CDaDsf mrain)S7 tin tiGa D W thats I had a pretty lousy weekend last week. I mean, 1 know it was Halloween, and I dressed up, even went to a party, but still, the weekend w as sort of a bummer. You see, for guys like me, the World Series ending is like the summer coming to end and having to go back to school. The fun seems like its all over. Well, that one week of personal hell is over. The void that has been missing by the absence of baseball has been filled, a lot quicker than disappeared. The beloved NBA season is upon us. Oh heavens above, thank you for gracing me with your all mighty powers, the NBA season is here! I suppose it goes without saying that I spent my entire evening on Tuesday night parked directly in front of my television set, where the NBAs warm glow greeted me like an old friend returned from a long vacation. My eye for picking out an illegal defense was quickly restored, and I was greeted with cool new uniforms from a handful of teams like Atlanta and Miami. Even though the Jazz fell to the Lakers, I couldnt help but just grin from ear to ear in joy that my winter will now have a reason to exist. This year, we even get the full season. I am of the opinion D what killed the Jazz last year. Old men like that just cant be expected to play five games in six nights. Maybe, just maybe, a normal schedule will help alleviate the aches and pains a little bit Now. I know that there are a few of you out there that can't believe that I would show such admiration and fierce loyalty to a money, celebrity driven sport that often times seems to care a lot more about free agency and salary caps than it does the fans. Well, let me tell you, it wasn't so easy for me to come back after last years strike. I absolutely refused to ever be a supporter of the NBA again during the strike. In fact, I held out almost an entire 20 minutes after they announced it was over before crawling back. What can I say. Im a victim. The NBA. Its superstar development, and genius marketing ploys have sucked me QMs gjainfi w D r Well I do love this game. I loved it w hen NBA action wlil merely FAN tastic and I alw ays will love it. I even havelt special place in my heart for the television broadcasters who bring us hours upon hours of highlights, game coverage and analysis. Ernie Johnson, Marv Albert, Hubie Brown and Hannah Storm are like family to me. Even the most annoying of NBA broadcasters (Bill Walton, Peter Vescey, etc..) offer their own little contributions to this long extravaganza that occupied my life during the winter months. This season is looking to be one of the most exciting ever. Its yet to be seen what impact these new rules will have. Well save that discussion for another day. y? y Look for the Sacramento Kings to be the breakout team of the season. Watch Kevin Garnett develop into the besj ; in from day one. Ever since the days w hen Magic and Bird showed the world the NBAs first televised rivalry. I've been hooked. Today, every player with a decent cross-ove- r move is given his own shoe. times stars are created on commerMany cials more than they are the court, and as ashamed as I am of it, I like it. I actually enjoy seeing Grant Hill plug every product in the free world. Watching Alan Iverson's lightning quick moves in slow motion in shoe commercials gives me a little tingle up my spine. Yes, Im weak to the powers of the NBA. Is there anyone who isn't covered in chills when they see Jason Williams, the most exciting player in the league, in a commercial running slow motion down the court, and g Chris Weber, alley-oo- p to a throwing a much you how TV have remind to the graphics you only love this game? nine-mon- Jordan Livingston th player in the league, and keep your eyes on the Jazzs draft ' pick Quincy Lewis, this guy is legit. Utah is a basketball state, and I'm a basketball fare I'm. looking forward to talking the NBA with you all season?' long, so until then, drink Sprite, buy Nike, and continue ter ' love this game. high-flyin- no-lo- ,','j ' i . ' World Series sweep a disappointment for ticket holding fans fl- - BY QUIG NIELSEN Clipper Contributing Writer the sixth and seventh games of the 1966 World Series to be played in Los Angeles. It was not because we turned down tickets to earlier games, but because those game tickets had been sold. Also, in our juvenile way of thinking, we thought that with the sixth and seventh contests, wed be sure to see the title World Series sweeps are wonderful for the victorious baseball teams, but what about the fans who purchased tickets for the fifth, sixth and seventh game? game. Having been a fan victim of a sweep series, I can tell you it is very disapThe first two games were played with the LA. Dodgers losing both games pointing. You find yourself cheering for both teams, hoping and yes, praying that on their home field. They were tight battles. the famous series will go beyond the four game sweep. The next three games were played in Baltimore. No one really knew how When I was living in Phoenix, my youngest son, Steven, and I had tickets for e Acord is attending the University of Utah with consecutive drill team state titles and 17 finishes in four categories at national competian undeclared major. I don't think people realize just how much the tions. continued from B7 Dancers do in the community! said Whittaker. Also, in 1992, Whittaker was the first woman to The girls make hundreds of appearances be named Utahs High School Coach of the Year. Jan is married to Scott and they have two chil- attended my first Jazz game, it's been my dream throughout the year. They do a lot of nice things. to become a Jazz Dancer. This is a great group of They visit individuals in hospitals, make special dren, Justin, 17 and Jaxon, nine. I have an extremely supportive family. Scott women and Jan is the best at what she does. appearances and so many other charitable activiAcord was a member of the Mandonelles for ties. They do a lot more than dance. and I have always been big Jazz fans, said two yean. She also played basketball and volleyWhittaker is starting her fifth year as the Jazz Whittaker. Jan has no plans of leaving teaching or the Jazz. ball for the Braves. Dancer's DirectorChoreographer. Jan is in her I love to dance and I love all sports, said I love to teach and I want to stay at Bountiful. 17th year of teaching aerobics and dance at Acord. To be able to dance in front of 20,000 is Bountiful High School. During her 12 years as I like basketball and working for the Jazz is a great such an adrenaline rush. Drill Team Advisor, Jan led the Mandonelles to 10 part-tim- e job, said Whittaker. JAZZ first-plac- WALL continued from B7 cuts, values that Wall carried over when he took the head coaching job at Bountiful in 1985, a team that has had only two losing seasons and has won State Championships in 1990 and 1991, along with Region Championships in 1990 and this year. Wall's football program has focused on the importance of hard work, persistence and never giving up. He says that ideals such as these are not only essential to football, but to everyday life as well. I think you need to establish those values, he said. We really stress doing your best and only worrying about things you can control. Some things you can control, some things you cant, and we can always control our effort on and off the field Wall's job of molding strong values and a good sense of citizenship has been made easy coaching in Bountiful. He is quick to point out that the stability and moral fiber of the community is the most important reason hes been successful as a coach. The most rewarding thing I see is the strong families in our programs, he says. It's amazing to see the strength in these families. With Bountifuls sense of community and history, Wall has had the fortune to coach players with a deep understanding of what it means to play for the Braves. Many of the players on the team are fourth, fifth and sixth generation football players, and according to Wall, this creates a crucial element of tradition. A lot of the kids on this year's team were eight or nine years old, watching older brothers play on the championship teams of the early 90s. I really have to credit a lot of our players in the past, Wall says. The younger kids learn from the older kids, hopefuly the tradition perpetuates. When kids come to Bountiful, they know they're expected to do their Anytime you can group yourself together with people with the same type of values, all being together for a common goal, that can be a positive you cant get in other settings, he said. . ... Wall believes that these types of friendships can be develop in any number of groups, not just football. Scouting, cliibst) $ch6ol organizations can provide lessons on life values, and group cooperation! Something that makes Walls job worthwhile is when he sees his former players go on to lead productive lives, incorporating some of the standards and beliefs he taught them on the football field helping them with missions, college, marriage or the military. The most rewarding is talking to a former player who refers back to football helping him in his life. Wall's Braves have had another amazing season here in 1999, going undefeated so far, including one win in the State Tournament, leaving them the only Davis County team still in contention. On Friday afternoon, they will face the Bonneville Lakers to get one step closer to their third State Championship under Wall, and their second of this decade. The Braves will likely follow the same formula that has guaranteed them success in the past A fusion of talent, dedication and a rigid value system will hopefully carry them all the way. With a coaching staff, led by Wall, that teaches by example and honor, no matter what the outcome of the season, they should make Bountiful proud once ' good the Orioles pitching staff was. The answer soon came. Led by Jim Palmer, todays TV Money Store hawking personality, the'.... wiit-vBaltimore hurlers were superb. Three members of their staff were ners. Palmer with 20, Wally Bunker with 21 and Dave McNally with 23. The?' Dodgers, who boasted their famous Sandy Koufax Don Drysdale duo were' sadly outclassed by the hurling Orioles. e The Dodgers scored only one run in the battle. It occurred in thi.'. . third inning of Game One. The Oriole pitchers, as one pundit wrote, methodid them. cally The Baltimore pitchers had shut down the Dodger hitters with comparative ease, and when the scene shifted to Baltimore, they slipped away with their first two home field victories. The Dodgers couldn't believe they had been shut ott with only a single player crossing home plate in all four games. Unbelievabli Off . but true. Steve and I were downhearted. It was the first time we had the opportunity!.'! V to purchase World Series tickets and we thought having the ducats for the laty. ' .. two games, wed be the big ticket w inners. . : Since 1950 only twice had there been World Series sweeps, the New Vbrk Giants over the Geveland Indians in 1954, and the Dodgers over the Yankees in 1963. In the 54 series, the play remembered, particularly by was when Willie Mays made his famous catch by racing to the depth of centerfield to haul in the hard hit ball over his left shoulder. But now, it was the Orioles by f . ( a sweep over the Dodgers. The money we had paid for our tickets was refunded, but that brought little solace to Steve and me. Our dream to see a World Series game had been obliterated by the sweep series. Today, I'm sure there are thousands of Yankee and Atlanta Brave fans who feel as we do, sad and sorry that the Yankees won with 20-ga- m four-gam- white-washe- old-time- rs such ease. . Make.Your Own Gates, SHEDS, BARNS & HOMES I Portable Panels' Etcl Cover your own with STEEL GALVANIZED ROUND TUBE 34 V 19 GA 16 18 6A 16 10' O' 13 O 10 O 6' 11 r - 16 GA io- 16 24' O $ .99EA 1.79 $ 1.89EA 1.98 $ 2 89EA SHEETS Galvanized .64FT METALMART s.f. CLOSEOUTS LIMITED QTYS BUY NOW CUSTOM LENGTHS DELIVERY AVAILABLE 1200 E. 100 S. LEHI, UT Call For FREE 37t - Green - White - Gray.! Tan - Beige 46t s.f. . StockPrice List! I '! Visit our Web sites! www.mcfrugal.com www.metalsales.com A. QGDENISUBARU w again. Our approach is to try and follow the same thing we preach to our kids, says Wall. Do your best, and see how the cards fall. best. It is this knowledge of tradition that kept Bountiful strong, and has continued to produce quality football players and people. The kids need to believe in what were doing, says Wall. On the whole, in 15 years, concerning student athletes, we haven't had a lot of major blow ups. Thats a credit to the community, we have the best student body anywhere. Wall, in his nature to divert responsibility for his teams winning traditions, recognizes the professionals he's been surrounded with at Bountiful High as a reason for the quality foot- ball program. I credit my staff! he says in praise of Bountifuls assistant coaches. Wall has been in the presence of great coaching his whole career. His friend and assistant Occie Evans has been with him his entire career at stint at Bountiful, and in his five-yeBrighton. He also credits his entire coaching staff, consisting of John Edwards, Brad Lloyd, Clark Stringfellow and Todd Street. Also a positive aspect of the Brave staff, one Wall feels is unique to Bountiful, is the support and involvement of the administration, especially principle Rulon Homer and athletic director Mike Hall. He considers Mr. Homer, to be one of the assistants rather than part of the school staff because of his undying support of not only football, but all Bountiful sports. At some other schools that isnt the case, says Wall. Athletics can become a necessary evil, and that just isnt the case here. In his 15 years at Bountiful, Wall has seen many friendships grown on the football field, and he believes that comes when individuals commit themselves to a team or organization. mtmm Best 0f All Seasons! End of Season LENNOX Stk00038 $21, 912 AIR CONDITIONERS. 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