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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Eleven Wednesday. January 22. 1922 PORTS never play a game at U. Wilms may By Matthew Coles Chronicle Sports Editor Deon Mims has always had pain in his knees when he plays basketball. But lately, the rigors of intense practices led by unwavering taskmaster University of Utah coach Rick Majerus began to take a higher toll. Mims increasingly complained about his aching knees and had to slow down in drills. Many of the coaches dismissed some of the pain, figuring Mims was a big guy with a small pain threshold. They told him to tough it out and play hard. But the pain persisted. As if the Utah basketball team had not had enough injuries this season, the redshirt center is facing surgery or playing with intense pain for the duration of his career. Some fear he may never play a game in a Utah uniform. "He has some problems with his knees and they have been causing him a lot of pain in practice. Surgery is an option, but the success rate for the procedure is very low," Utah trainer Gerald Fischer said. Majerus interprets this as: "Mims' career is over. He probably won't be able to play for us. I just can't count on Him now. Simply, the kid can't do it." After a thorough examination by Reality always eventually meets fantasy in sports as well as life U. orthopedic specialist Robert Burks, it was determined that the tendonitis Mavericks who chose his own reality through alcohol abuse that about time in just There comes alife when reality Mims has chronic a condition rarely cured eventually led him out of the NBA, and into infamy and obscurity. But perhaps the most prolific example of an athlete's attempt to surpass reality itself by personal choice will almost certainly be remembered through the man we call "Magic." Actually, "Tragic" is more like it must reach out and kick fantasy in the tush. Oh, sure. We've all been there before. We've experienced the athletic euphoria of sport and we've thought, "I'll always be this strong, this fast and jump this by surgery. "Three things contribute to Deon's problems," Fischer said. "He has an unusually long petular tendon, his knee caps ride higher on his knee than most people and the caps high." What's even more absurd is that themselves are unusually shaped." The same type of tendonitis was a part of teammate Josh Grant's a whole bunch of us are still playing this little "I am invincible" game and we refuse to allow reality its say by avoiding the truth. But the truth is that no one can problems before he underwent last and summer surgery for a medical subsequently applied hardship. Other Utes, like Barry Howard, M'Kay McGrath and Phil Mims averaged 18 points, 16 in injured party to adapt to the facts inflamed tendonitis. Mims plans to conference call his parents Tuesday to discuss the pros and cons of the surgery and then undergo the knife soon afterward, if he decides to take the surgical route. Whitewater High School wondered Chronicle Sports Writer Although the facts surrounding the tragic saga will probably never really be known, no one, including me, can seem to figure the whole thing out. I mean, if there was ever a man who had it all and more, Tragic of human frailty. Wisconsin and was thrice named to the Street and Smith team as an honorable mention. He came to the U. as a Prop. 42 student-athlet- e and spent last year improving his academic standing. Then, long before the season began, Majerus announced Mims would redshirt the 1991-9- 2 season. With all probability, the surgery will not relieve him of much pain, so Mims must decide within his mind how much pain he is willing to tolerate. Majerus has never had any doubts about Mims' potential, but always Brad Mortimer injury that forces the rebounds and five blocks a game for problem This is the part that gives me evil urges to head for How can we, as a sports-lovin- g public, actually look at ourselves in the mirror every day when we condemn those who abuse their athletic privileges, yet we throw a freakin' party for Tragic Magic? single-handedl- y. the slap of not comes human imperfection rather but or accident, through age as a consequence of decisions And for others, still, was that man. Fame, fortune, boyish looks and assured immortality were all a part of Tragic's lifestyle. Unfortunately, there were a few other things that were a part of his lifestyle too. But for the humble connoisseur of fine sport, Tragic was a god. If any man was to have the privilege of choosing his own fate, Tragic was certainly capable. In fact, Tragic was so capable, he did just made by the athlete himself. Let's take a for instance Dexter in Manley, the former All-Pr- o professional football who chose to end his Hall of Fame career through substance abuse with amphetamines. In addition, there's Roy Tarpley, the once vaunted power forward of the Dallas l. Isn't there a serious double standard here? What if Dexter Manley had the power to call Arsenio Hall and demand some prime time TV spot to announce the reasons for his leaving football? It is truly a dichotomy of morals when we disallow smoking in the Union Building for the common folk, but we treat Tragic like a gol' dang hero!! The fact of the matter is, Tragic has played the media almost to perfection. He knows the power of positive (and negative) press. But for heaven's sake, people, pull your head out with regard to Tragic's chosen lifestyle. Condemning the problem and not the perpetrator is just, but don't be so naive and misguided as to praise and glorify the mistake or the mistaken. his about determination. Before the season Majerus said, "Deon has an NBA body, but right and he has to d now he is a a basketball be wants to he decide if whole The purpose of this player. to learn how to will Deon be for year the game." play Now Mims may never have a chance to mature in Majerus' system and may never make the transition from child to man in the coach's eyes until he proves he can play with pain. Sportscene man-chil- Deon Mims if he'd solved the Squire-Natura- escape the day of reckoning with reality. For some it will come with age, as limbs start to weaken and fatigue faster and faster until the thought of avoiding our once-love- d activity becomes more appealing than the aches and pains that come with the day after. For others, reality may wield its ugly head in the form of a career-endin- g Dixon, have played with periods of that chose his own path to reality. I mean he said he always wanted to go out with a bang, but gee!! No one chose his pathway for him. No one forced him into it. He did it all by himself. (Well, you know what I mean.) And yet, we as a sports-lovin- g choose to laud and praise Eublic AIDS university this spring, but claimed he had nothing else to play for. SPURS SPURN BROWN: Larry Brown was fired as coach of the San DESMOND DASHES FOR CASH: Desmond Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner, opted to enter the NFL's draft held in April. In a press Antonio Spurs on Tuesday and conference on Tuesday, the wide receiver from Michigan announced that he would forego his final year of college eligibility. Howard still intends to graduate from the replaced by Bob Bass, the team's vice president of basketball operations. The Spurs have struggled to a 7 record this season, after two years as 21-1- division champions. Spurs owner Red McCombs said Brown didn't show up for a meeting and when contacted by team officials later, said he wanted to be fired. Bass, who coached the team when it was in the American Basketball Association, will take over for the rest of the year. Basketball Bids For Burgers At USJD Bids more fun than Lagoon Yes, it is time once again to All right all you it's not Bill Swerski's Quiz and play your favorite game show, Masters seen late Saturday nights. It's time to play Basketball Bids for Burgers at your favorite B&D. We know that more and more of you are record number of entries corning out of the closet by the season we received last week And for those who are just coming out, here are the rules. or a pen First, get out your writing machine, (thats a pencil Pick' the Tour (not your for you freshmen) and write down in the selected will think win who column you freshmen) nose, to be one, pick the games. To break a tie, if there should happen be scored in the will feel total number of points you Bid-a-holic- Coles THIS WEEK'S GAMES Schmidt 22-1- 4 23-1- 3 Mortimer Bronicel Walsh 26-1- 0 27-- 9 25-1- 1 Your s. eat-o'-ram- a, Utah-Wyomi- game. ot Once you have done that, cut, rip or gnaw your picks out the paper and return them to the Chronicle offices, located in no room 240 of the Union Building. These must be returned later than 5 p.m. on Thursday. what you are going to win Now, you are probably wondering best if you happen to be the top picker of the week. Well, the B&D at two for lunch prognosticator o the week will receive East. Burger located at 222 South and 1300 fries and The lunch will include two burgers, two bags o and Hansen Darren Terry ask two drinks. What a deal! Just 17 right games others, picked Williams. They, along with three tiesame the each Williams guessed last week. But Hansen and both of them. breaker score so we decided to give the pnze to Gee, aren't we nice? As for our staff of expert pickers, Bradtey J. Mortimer topped by Tyronimus the crew with a 16-- 2 week, closely fo lowed 15-- 3 marks. Matt with Walshus Rebeccus Bronicelus and were "Bimbo" Coles went 13-- 5 while Cliff "Upset Specials week. second 11-straight Busts" Schmidt finished 7 for the and pick the So open those eyes, brush off those brains winners. Remember, you can i win wuu ol "w... Utah at Air Force at Wyoming mayIm at Hawaii BYU m at SDSU Utah at Wy""'"fl N. UTEP Youngstown St Air Utah Utah BYU BYU Mexico N. Utah Utah Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming Hawaii N. Mexico Hawaii UTEP UTEP UTEP UTEP UTEP Ua" Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming Wyoming Young BYU Air Force BYU Mexico N. Fnrcfi Air RVllatftnlnrarinSt. New Mexico at SDSU UTEP at Hawaii Hawaii Utah Force Mexico BYU Air Force BYU SDSU UTEP SDSU UTEP St. Air Force BYU N. Mexico UTEP UTEP UTEP Utes Crelghton Creighton at ihy utes Ladv Utes Lady Utes Lady Utes Lady Ohio St. at Seton Hall Seton Hall Seton Hall Ohio St. Ohio St. Ohio St. St. John's at Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse Syracuse St. John's Syracuse Missouri at Notre Dame Missouri So. Miss, at Louisville Louisville. Jazz Jazz at Nuggets Sonlcs Jazz at Supersonics Rockets at Bulls Pistons at Celtics Name Phone Bulls Celtics Missouri Missouri Louisville Louisville Louisville Jazz Jazz Jazz Sonics Sonics Jazz Bulls Bulls Bulls Notre Dame Missouri So. Miss . Jazz Sonics Rockets Celtics Celtics Pistons Celtics TIE BREAKER (utah at Wyoming) TOTAL POINTS IN GAME Pick 31-- 5 |
