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Show P The Daily Utah CfarvsicJ, January t, 135 Ten Doc amid cff me odliiifiig foe INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) Defending champion Larry Nance of Phoenix and slam dunk pioneer Julius Erving of Philadelphia are among eight players who will take part in the 1985 NBA Slam Dunk Championship. The event, set for Feb. 9 in Market Square Arena, is Game in part of the festivities preceding the NBA will Slam follow The Dunk contest Indianapolis. open teams and the NBA Legands practices by the NBA All-St- ar all-st- ar oldtiroers game. The in the Homier Dome. All-St- ar Game will be played Feb. 10 "Last year's competition was really exciting," said Chicago Bulls forward Orlando Woolridgc at a news conference Tuesday. "There was a lot of electricity going around there. It gives us a chance to show our abilities outside the pressures of a ball game.' Woolridgc is among six players returning from last year's slam dunk contest in Denver. Also back are Nance, Erving, Clyde Orcxler of Portland, Darrcll Griffith of Got msady foir fiv Like the Pointer Sisters' hit record suggests, "I'm So Excited." And it's because the next five months will bring the best in what the sports world has to offer. I'm talking about matters such as the Super Bowl, NCAA and NBA basketball, the Indianapolis 500 and the Stanley Cup. ON SPORTS , Hliko Prator What about the Kentucky Derby, baseball training camps and the College World Series, World Cup skiing, golf, Lady Ute gymnastics, swimming, tennis, softball and track and field. I could even mention the USFL, but being a sports traditionalist, I won't. Then, of course, there is the grand daddy of them all. The BIG one. The winter-tim- e sporting event everyone talks about Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. Oh, bodies can warm up how those golden, scantily-clothe- d even the most frozen physiques. We, as sports fans, arc soon to be bombarded by most every kind of sport imaginable. I can't wait myself. "I'm so. . ." well, you know how I feel. The first biggie to soon sprout upon us will be the Super W ISA's he said. "A lot of guys were so concerned about not missing the dunk that tney aiani wwu to y used to. This creativity doing something they're not year, you can try just about anything." The leaping, spinning and inventiveness of a dunk shot for artistic excellence alone is not lost on Jordan, who has led the Bulls to a 1717 mark so far this season. "On this level, you get the chance to show some creativity and,- do some things you couldn't do on the college level- Jordan said. "With my height and big hands, I think I can create a lot of things that people haven't seen." Jordan, who first dunked in 10th grade, grew up appreciating the dunking abilities of former Indiana Pacer Darnell Hillman. But now, Jordan acknowledges Erving me rhj mm tf ftMt "He's a sentimental favorite and a lot of people know dunking from Dr. J," Jordan said. "He started dunking. Utah and Dominique CTkins of Atlanta. The other two contestants, Michael Jordan of Chicago and Charles Barkley of Philadelphia, are rookies. Participants were selected in balloting by a national media poll. Nance and Erving were automatically put in the semifinals after being finalists last year. The other six competitors will try for two other semifinal berths and a finals. The winner receives chance at the $12,000 of the 530,000 prize money. Each round will consist of three dunks per person. A player can retake up to two missed dunk attempts. A panel of five judges, not yet announced, will rate each dunk from 0 to 10 on athletic ability, creativity and style. The chance to try again after a miss is a change from last year, and one that Woolridge figures will make bead-to-be- ad competitors more daring. "It's going to enhance the quality of the competition,' 7 rBriioinrQjhs of fth bsstt odd spoots conveniently turns on by a wall switch that is located near the couch. Aaaaahh, life is good. In between all this ball bouncing, 111 be catching up on all other aspects of the sporting world. I'd like to see the Jazz nip the Boston Celtics in a seven-gam- e thriller for the NBA title, it would be great to see Tom Sneva win the Indy 500, hopefully Bill Johnson can perform like the King of the Mountain he says he is and maybe Wayne Gretzky can start a dynasty in Edmonton. I've never lived through a real dynasty before; I would like to see the Oilers win the next 10 Stanley Cups. And I can already here the gears of the Big Red Machine being tuned up. I feel a banner year coming on for the Cincinnati Reds despite hearing otherwise from my roommate, who insists his hometown Padres will prove 1984 was no fluke. Good luck, buddy. And one final thought: I would like to see the USFL no more. So there you have it. The sports lineup for the next five months. It's by far the best time of the year for the armchair (or typewriter) quarterback. And when it's all over, it will be summertime. A time for the pennant races, Wimbledon, football training camps, soccer and a time when you can view those golden, scantily-clothe- d bodies in person. "I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it. . . " Bowl. This year's game promises to be a classic. Remember the Miami-Bosto- n College thriller? Thanks to Doug Flutie's heroics, how could we forget? Well the San Francisco-Miaclash should be as exciting. With these two offensive powers, the last team with the ball should squeak out the victory. One aspect of this game confuses me, though. This year's Super Bowl could be the longest ever, maybe even an overtime will be involved. Will it be three hours, four, maybe even five. This ordeal sure makes it hard to figure out how much beer I need. Oh well, I guess I'll just buy enough to last the entire afternoon. favorite When the Super Bowl concludes, my in its will me thrills season. be Nothing deep already sport more (okay, almost nothing) than to watch a good college basketball game. With CBS, NBC, KUTVs new sports network and Paul James pushing the Cougars in every direction possible, we will be diluged with NCAA basketball until it concludes with the Final Four. Oh, the Final Four: the greatest sports event in existence today. Absolutely nothing beats it for excitement. For the next months, if I'm not in a Ute or Jazz game person, you can find me on watching my couch, wrapped in my fuzzy new blanket I got for Christmas, watching college hoops. Over the past weekend I prepared myself for the encounter by arranging my furniture so the television, the couch and the refrigerator are all next to the fireplace, a fireplace that mi all-ti- two-and-a-h- dlyumk-ol- ff me alf .aDQ 1985 International Winter Special Olympic n m. V M Games present. . . f m a aance maratnon to benefit the 1985 Special Olympics A January 1 5 p.m. Fairgrounds Co1i um Tickets available at: Cosmic Aeroplane Wally's Tape Head JMR Chalkgarden Trolley Sl All Datatix Locations 331 O in advanceS1 2 day of show . n Q a.m.B gJanuary 25, 8:00p.m.-6:0- 0 Union Ballroom U Pledge sheets available at: ASUU office, Union 234, front desk of the Union, and the information desk at the Food - & aouu Institute prizes donated by Union Food Services M fTTT mm vr- - o-- |
