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Show Wednesday, May 9, 10 nin sic.NrosT 11 t T rv ' i Idaho State ends WSC's seven year reign Ian MacKinlay earns second individual title in two years By Jon Yorgason Sports Editor of Iho Signpost For the first time in eight years, the Big Sky Conference champion is not the Welxr State men's tennis team. In alhree-day tournament in Moscow, Idaho, the Idaho State Bengals dethroned the Wildcats with four victories in five Sports Celtics' aging players nearing the end of careers (L'S.VACIN) BOSTON High above the parquet floor that once made n difference, the banners still hang to tell their story, and suggest the urgency faonga Boston Celtic franchise at sunset. The years of glory are all up there 1957, 1939, 19G0, 1961, sixteen in all draped from the rafters, higher, even, than some of the shots Patrick Ewing jv-atted away Sunday. The banners speak of unique consistency. A franchise r.i- er far away. In 33 years, the Boston Celtics have never gone more than f.ve seasons without a title. The last one was 1986. So t'r.e next one, just in time, is due next year. Don't hold your breath. Those were the old days, before the Celtics lost decisive playoff games at home, particularly in the first round. First, these Celtics were veterans. Then, they were aging. Now, they are old. Kiss them goodbye. At least as a serious contender. At least for awhile. A new arena is on the horizon. We probably have seen the last NBA title ever to be won in Boston Garden. So we pause today to mourn their passing. Old warhorses deserve that much. It has been a class act, their fight against the clock. But time is winning. It always does. An era passed Sunday. It may have happened when Larry Bird went 0-for-5 down the stretch and flubbed an open dunk when there was a game to win, or when Ewing hit a turnaround 3-pointer from the corner and raised his fist to the sky, or when the first Celtic fans moved sullenly to the exits, some of them yelling for Cojich Jim Rodgers head on a spittle. But it did. Boston went nowhere last year, but Bird was hurt. This year, the Celtics had nil their guns. What guns they still own. And they are gone from the first round. It was a little like watching a gloried old ship founder. Wasn't Bird young yesterday? Weren't a lot of us? "You try not to worry iilxml these things," Pennis Johnson said. lUr. it's going to linger on." "It didn't occur to them (the f.ins), and it didn't occur to us that something like this could happen." But it did. The Celtics, who have been unlucky(Len Bias) and unproductive (Michael Young, Sam Vincent, Greg lute) with recent No. 1 draft picks, appear about to face the music. Red Auerbach turns 73 this year. More importantly, Bird turns 34, Johnson 36, Robert Parish 37 and Kevin McIIale 33. To be that age, and to give away what they just gave away to the Knicks the past week, means the bell is tolling for Boston. There is little relief in sight. Brian Shaw is due back from his Italian holiday. But replacement parts are few. The draft has not worked for the Celtics. They usually go late, but that is only a partial excuse. The Los Angeles Lakers, drafting next to last in 1989, took Vlade Divac, who has become the darling of the Forum, or at least one of them. The Celtics, picking 13th, took Mike Smith, who played 16 minutes in the Knicks' (See CELTICS page 12) Tennis tourney this weekend The annual spring tennis tournament will be on Saturday, May 12. The tournament will start at 10 a.m. and will continue all day on the John Edmond Tennis Courts located directly east of Swenson Gym. Divisions for both men and women in both singles and doubles will be available to all students, faculty and staff of WSC. The registration deadline for this event is 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9. For more information contact the intramural department at 626-64767967. nttempts. Boise State also finished 4-1, but lost to the Bengals in their head-to-head competition. Weber State finished fifth overall with a 2-3 record. "I'm not disappointed where we finished," said Coach Keith Cox. "Any team could have won, it was that close. In a tournament where the last place team beat the the first place team, I'm not disappointed nt all." For the Bengals, it was their first men's tennis crown since 19G5 and the first time since 1982 that a team other than the Wildcats walked away with the title. "It's a disappointment and a relief that the string is finally over," said Cox. "Now we can start a new one." One bright spot in the tourney wus Welder State's Ian MacKinlay, a senior from Edinburgh, Scotland. MacKinlay won the conference's No. 4 singles title. A year ago he was the No. 5 singles champion and was the only repeat winner at this year's competition. "Ian has had a marvelous year," Cox said. He had the best record on the team. You certainly can't ask for more." MacKinlay went 5-0 over the weekend and 4-1 with doubles partner Dermot Sweeney. The duo finished second to Northern Arizona's Michael Tebbutt and Greg Krogh for the No. 1 doubles title. Tebbutt and BSlTs Mike Parker were both double winners in the tourney. Tebbutt was a winner at both the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, while Parker became champion at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles with teammate Jeff Perkins. A major setback to the Wildcats was the loss of freshman Bobby Rosene at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles. Rosene suffered a stress fracture in his foot earlier (See STREAK page 12) YOU'LL LOOK GREAT IN A TUX FROM .fir mm. mm fim TUXEDOS Aiy.t . ruiir. X a .U ft A. . J. g J-. $0FF RENTAL OF ANY TUXEDO ... v4'-iV ."J CFFE? EXp'FES H- -.3 Jv.n-j sO, 1990 f OCDEN . . A ,it. uuo so. narnson viva. trii fA' ? f , fj 5366 South 1900 West (Next to smiths Food King) r U I great locations tg Harmon-s) m w ,. . ROY 479-6040 to service you! 773-0303 Larry Speakes Author of Speaking Out The Reagan presidency from inside the White House Chief Spokesman for President Reagan May 10, 1990, Thursday 10:30 a.m. Austad Auditorium Part of Greek Week at WSC |