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Show -- - Championship Hockey ... is Back in Utah Sports Downfall Is Agents Fault, Not Pro Athletes GREGEEACHAM Chronicle Sports Editor It was impossible to name a hero. Toe final goal was scored in a flurry of frantic hacks at die puck. Any of three . ''' 0 ' Utah Grizzlies might have won the - ti ."; game for his team.' ,,On that Saturday night, as the players spilled onto the ice in frenzy, as Coach Butch. Goring stood alone on the bench, as the IHL Playoff-recor- d crowd screamed its guts out, no one cared who fit the lamp die final time. - - 'V s ; sT" ""J , r' s , - o r-'N&- V " ) -- Ss- N- : ' 1 Chronicle L Sports Writer - ' -'" Brandon Winn t , -- . "Caller, excuse me. Caller, hold on and listen to me for a minute will ya? Thank you. Fm teQing those of you listening to me right now." "If I have to listen to another person say they are madasheH The 32 overtime triumph was a team win for the Grizzlies, just as their previous 14 playoff victories had been triumphs of the whole over die individ- ual. For the at professional athletes, and want me to say something dramatic to year, Goring, who was recently named IHL second-straig- ht coach of the year, bad led his troops past all pretenders and brought a champions hip to a city that some said couldn't support professional hockey. This team always knew it could win," Goring said. 'There was never any question whether or not we could make them feel better, I am going to strangle myself on die air, wkh my headphones cord." can't take k anymore. I can understand your frustration. I feel your pain. But there isn't a single thing I can do or say to console you in any way. My name is not Frasier Crane. This is not a psychiatry hot line. Tm not paid to listen to you gripe. I host am a sports radio -- I can't fix your problems." Tm just a regular guy trying to make a decent Irving talking about sports. Tm tired of having to listen to everybody whine and complain about the negative T mk4 . we were supremely confident!' Although the Grizzlies swept the Turner Cup Finals, their opponents, the Orlando Solar Bears, took them to three overtimes and had a chance to win in each extra frame. The main obstacle in their way every time was goalie Tommy Salo, who won die Finals MVP award largely on the strength of hb overtime goabendmg..". .. The victory answered a slate of ques-tiorabout both the team and the commitment to h. With a crowd of 17,381 in the stands, the Grizzlies learned what Larry Miller never got into his head; Like any other market in die country, Utahns will sup-po-tt a hockey team that wins. Utah's Game 4 victory followed on die heels of a Game 3 win, the only one ts com-munity- 9 V CMONKUfMro Drak MlltM Andrey Yas2ev dekes. past a defender on his way to scoring an incredible goal in Game 4 of the Turner Cup finals. The Grizzlies went on to win the game in overtime and completed a 4--0 sweep of the Orlando Solar Bears. of the four contests that didn't go into : overtime. Utah studiously controlled the pace of the first two periods in lead into die third. Game 3, taking a Orlando cracked the scoreboard only 16 seconds into die period when Dave Ban converted off a race-ofThe Grizzlies lengthened their lead at the 3:50 mark on Brett Licvers' slapper from die right side, but Orlando again cut the margin to a single goal when 2-- 0 f. IHL scoring leader Craig Fisher slipped into the slot and beat Salo high to die glove side. ., The final 12 minutes of Game 3 weir a study m concentrated defenses. During that time, the Grizzlies killed two Orlando power plays while holding the Solar Bears, who were fighting for their playoff lives, to only six shots. Marc Rodgers added an empty-nette- r with a second to play after Orlando could not convert any of several late scoring chances. On Saturday, the Grizzlies were suddenly die cat's meow in Salt Lake Cory. talk-sho- After months of solid fan support, 17381 Utahns showed up at the Delta Center for a chance to glimpse a tide. . For nearly two periods, however, it appeared that the Grizzlies would send their bumper crop of fans home without satisfaction. Orlando was the more w things m sports." "I want somebody to call in and tell me something they like about sports. Talk about your favorite players, or how much you love my show. Anything. I just want to hear something posi- aggressive team in die opening minutes, while Utah's sloppy defense and listless offense allowed the Solar Bears to take lead at the first intermission. a The Grizzlies are usually sparked by sat "Crtnilu- m page II 2-- 0 - tive, please!" This is a typical example of host what a sports talk-shoprobably feels like after a day of w Looking for NBA-?- Ready Players? Draft Won't Satisfy Your Appetite Welcome to Cha MBA. Would you smoking or non-smokin- Great Well have a table for you in just a bit Would you like an appetizer? Our buffet special today is the draft-daOur selections are ripe, seasoned, and ready for serving. And all for the low price of about $40 million. Does that sound eood? Great Well have your plate in just a bit Sorry to keep you waiting so long. I'm afraid we've y r1 s ... t er begin. 1. totally out of herbs and spices our fryers have Jordan-esqu- e n, and our oven has exploded. our selections ..... -. .... Ommcu fern Jeff adr-r-M- tf the rat f The baseball and hockey strikes, the NBA lockout, lack of team loyalty in football and skyrocketing salaries in every sport these problems can all be blamed on agents. - Allen Agents are the ones advising players to ask for such ridiculous salaries. Patrick Ewing made $18 million last season alone. They force owners to raise ticket and merchandise prices so they can afford to pay their star athletes. ath- They support the athletes when they go on strike until their demands are met Agents recommend players find new teams who wl meet their qualifi-- : he dribbles the ball, but Mark Macon when he shoots. Apparendy this has not scared off the 76ers, who soil interested? v back If you're a general manager m this ; had a be. with the NBA last have to court Draft, you departure of year year's At a time when most '18 and 19- - ' Dana Barros. s should be lining up prom ; ; 2. Marcus Camby: Recently, year-old- ?. . dates, talented but unseasoned hoopRaptors General Manager Thomas :. sters such as Allen Iverson," Kobe : gave America's viewing audience a Bryant, Stephon Marbury, and - subtle hint as to whom he planned on " V ; I - .. Jermaine O'Neal wQl be lining up to -- "drafting. slighdy4css-than4iorrib- W the way Sah Lake la Kah cfPacic Coast League better take notice. By Rick Vazquez the problems. attributed to one thing, agents. he's lsiah , . Thomas when will be served raw. Raw and unseasoned." Are you MUch Sinocs, shown m action earfier this season, has helped the start in odr first e stiraitoC-mtoania Ss!t Ukc ondJ CmSeotocc 37 znazic, bet has tfeaDy tiinied It on since. The sour have been wins, seven Bos the late has SSanXwfeh ? aU Unfortunately, most people don't realize that athletes and owners are usually not at fault Most of today's problems can be leticism under neath the hoop. The only rap against Iverson; broken-dow- What I'm try bag to tell you, sir, is that all of for Iverson: In a flash, he can blow past any defender, using the kitchen. It seems that we're V The bad is all anybody is interested in. Most are quick to blame die athletes or the owners collect million-dolla- r signing bonus-prefes. . Owners and general managers around the league are fuming. They cry, rant and rave, "This is terrible . these kids are just not ready ..." Yet, it remains . possible that 10 out of the first 15 picks will be underclassmen, They're just not ready ... except ' for us." '.. k So grab your napkin and pull up a chair. The sushi feast is about to had a problem in ,;' listening to Americans complain about sports. It is a rarity to hear somebody talk about the good in sports. cations, thus creating the lack team loyalty in sports. le ; of Agents go into universities, and lure out such underclassmen as Marcus Camby and Allen Iverson. They take it even fur ther by luring out high school students like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant with new cars and i mm - 11 |