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Show FRIDAY/June 13,1997 He SatLakeTribune Section B BASEBALL TRACK & FIELD Page B-8 Page B-10 They’re Staring at Elimination Tonight BY STEVE LUHM THESALT LAKE TRIBUNE CHICAGO — The Jazz left home amid rain, wind and lightning Thursday afternoon. After a mostly choppy 214- hour flight, they arrived for Game6 of the NBAFinals Moreturbulence awaits. It Was a Nice Run for Jazz, But Now... All of Chicago expects the Bulls to defeat the Jazz tonight, eration as one of the great dynasties in leaguehistory. Never mind that the Jazz could just as easily be looking for a Rodman fine of $50,000 from the NBA. “T have indicated in previous actions that insensitive or derogatory comments involving race or The Bulls haven't been the vastly superior team. They've just been better in the final minute of the closest games. Credit Jordan, with little help from Scottie Pippen. “When you lookat it,” said Malone, “Michael and Scottie enced? Why, the three-game sweep of the Clippers in Round One wasthefirst unbeaten set in franchise history. And the winner cameontheroad via a 10692 romp. apologized got no forgiveness, just a record tried to make that clear. We've had our chances. Of course,that’s what makesthe Jazz’s plight so frustrating. which the franchise had rarely experi- even Thursday, But it was too late. He the difference in the fifth game. “We've played this team fairly well,” said Sloan. “I've point Game 4 masterpiece, a validation of muscle-flexing the likes of other classifications are unac- ceptable in the NBA,” commis- See RODMAN, Page B-3 See JAZZ, Page B-2 Flip Side to Jazz’s Home Excellence: History Says Utah No Road Warrior Memories are fleeting. On Thurs- BY LEX HEMPHILL THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Consider the positive side first: By putting the Bulls through their week-long crucible in Utah, the Jazz nearly put themselves in the NBA record CHICAGO — The Jazz's national coming-out party this past fortnight has featured a glimpseat one ofthe franchise’s enduring characteristics: its pronounced home-road characteristics. After showing a global audience how tough they are to beat on their home floor — indeed, after compiling one of the finest single-season home records in NBA history — the Jazz are suddenly faced with a particularly cruel task if they are to win the world championship this year: win two straight playoff gameson the road. The challenge of winning on the road is more Douglas C, Pizac / The Associated Press daunting in basketball than in other professional Karl Malone shoots during practice at Westminster College on team sports, but few NBA franchises have experi- Thursday while the media interviews Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan. as acutely as the Jazz. Montgomerie Is Leader On Board and In Fight finitive Open-style round — fairways, greens and patience — of 5under-par 65, a remarkable score on a day the average score was nearlyninestrokes higher. It was Montgomerie who on Wednesday voiced the popular — though previously unspoken — opinion that Woods’ unsurpassed power game, which carried the 21-year-old phenom to a 12-shot victory in The Masters, was ill suited to a U.S. Open course So in addition to his being a world-class golfer, we now know Colin Montgomerie shot to the lead Thursday, firing a steady, de. See OPEN, Page B-6 Peguins Hire Constantine as Coach Constantine is a former coachof the San Jose . Asit was, the Jazz’s 10-1 run at the Delta Center improvedtheir franchise playoff record at home to 51-20, a .718 winning percentage. Only the three most storied franchises in league history — the Bulls, the Lakers and theCeltics — have better overall homerecordsin the playof! Addtheplayoffrunto their 38-3 See HISTORY, Page B-2 34-3509 35-35—70 36-34—70 35-35—70 3733-70 35-35—70 33-37—70 35-35—70 MDTwith a pitch destined for Cooperstown. The game — between the San Francisco Giants of the National League and the Texas Rangers of the American League — will go Giants Eam Historic Win, 4-3 BB TheGiants won, 4-3. Willie Mays and Nolan Ryan, two links to baseball's rich past, were on hand to launch baseball intoits a future that will include 214 AL-NL meetings this year. They threw out thefirst pitches. ring a Giants hat, Mays threwout a ceremonial first ball to AL president Gene Budig Ryan was next, throwing to NL president Len Coleman. Hamilton also will go down4 having thefirst hit in interleague asingle to right field against the Interieague Baseball PCL Baseball Salt Lake 5, Calgary 3 CESPN) 3 p.m. — Golf, U.S. Open CTBS) 5:30 p.m. — Baseball, Ori- different leagues met in the regu- play. Ona 2-1 count, he grounded oles at Atlanta Oakland 5, Los Angeles 4 In Action Tonight CFSR) 5:30 p.m. — MLS Soccer Seattle 12, Colorado 11 NBA Finals: Jazz at Bulls, 7 p.m. Channel 5 CTNND 6 p.m, — Auto Racing. POL Baseball: Buzz at Calgary, 6 p.m, doubleheader TV Highlights CESPH) 9 a.m. — Golf, U.S. Open (5) 1 p.m. — Golf, U.S, Open team he playedfor last season, The Rangers greeted the land- mark event with an all-out cele- league was formed in 1871 lar season since thefirst major Milwaukee 6, Cleveland 2 recordat the Delta Center in the regular season, and the Jazz went 48-4 at homein 1996-97. That ranks them among the top home teams ever. The best was the downasthefirst time teams from Boston 9, Baltimore 5 Constantine team has ever done (four teams have gone 10-0). Reid Is Only Utahn to Fare Well Bb ricker Finds Himself In the Hunt B-7 American League 400 as interim coach. Eddie Johnston coachedthe Penguins most of the season. ‘The Pens went 38-36-68 this year and were eliminat od by Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. Constantine, 38, coached the Sharks to their first 1996 after players rebelled against his tough tactics Craig Pany Lony Mize 33-36-49 baseball's era of interleagueplay was under way Thursday night and the game's 126-year tradition of keeping its major leagues separate was over. The course of baseball history changed forever at 6:11 p.m. Anaheim8, San Diego 4 Sharks who spent last season as an assistant with the Calgary Flames, He replaces the man who hired him, general manager Craig Patrick, whofinished the nea: two playoff appearances, He was fired by San Jose in Tom Lehman a-Joel Kribel the playoffs with a homerecord of 11-0, which no enced the extremes of homeglory and road misery ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ARLINGTON, Texas — With onelow, insidefastball from Darren Oliver to Darryl Hamilton, Mark McNulty Hideki Kase DaveSchreyer Jeff Suman Justin Leonard David Ogrin Mike Briskey Chiis Penry Hale Irwin book. If they could have held on and won Wednesday night's Game5, the Jazz would have finished Like Texas, Interleague Opener Big U.S. OPEN Colin Montgomrie Hal Sutton StoveStricker San Francisco4, Texas 3 ‘The Pittsburgh Penguins, long accused of running a country club, hired a drill sergeant Thursday when they made Kevin Constantine their new coach % monswhile the Bulls were in Salt LakeCity for the NBA Finals. at the buzzer, and somesloppyplay in the final minutes was finals, including Karl Malone’s 42- ” This time it was for making derogatory comments about Mor- Michael Jordan beat them in the opener with a 20-footer And wasn’t that 4-1 eviction of the Shaq and the L.A. Lakersin the semi- This was Independence Day It was fitting that Scotland's his boorish behavior. expectit to be the attitude of everybodyelse.” If not for narrow defeats in Games1 and5, the Jazz would be in commandoftheseries. Lucy” shows combined. take back what wastheirs. Chicago Bulls’ bad-boy rebounder, has been punished again for a situation like this.” “We don't want to make a token appearance,” said Karl Malone. “We can’t just show up. That's my attitude and I Houston that has been replayed more times than “M*A*S*H” and “I Love everyone in the game look silly. The first day of the 97th U.S. Open was the day they gathered to THEASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO — He's head-butted an official, kicked a cameraman, slapped an opponentin the groin. And now Dennis Rodman, the “It’s going to be very difficult,” said Coach Jerry Sloan. Game 6-winning three-pointer in BETHESDA, Md. — This might @ Miller Says Jazz Will Win Title “But to me, that’s what sports areall about. If you're a competitor, you've got to show everybit of heart you have in a triumph that produced, among other be remembered as the day the rest of golf fought back. Tiger Woods has laid siegeto the sport like a sudden alien invasion. And for four days this April, he made It’s a Record! Rodman Gets $50,000 Fine » Chicago is one win away from anothertitle. The Jazz are one loss away from elimination. Should Utah survive, it would haveto beat the Bulls again in Game 7 on Sunday. memorable moments, John Stockton’s See ROSETTA,Page B-2 Gai me CI 190, 7 p.m. 1fonight — Uiah Sunday — Utah at Chicago, 6:30 p.m. * =I necessary All times MDT @ Bulls Exhale Before Game 6 United Center. Never mind the Bulls have had the distinct look of a twoman team en route to a 3-2 lead in this best-of-sevenseries. feeling a certain haughtiness as they moved into the United Centerto traverse uncharted playoffterritory. Hadn't the Jazz flung off the albatross that had been the Houston Rockets of playoffs past, with a 4-2 Western Conferencefinals performance?It was day, the humbled Jazz entourage movedquietly into its lakefront hotel, sporting few identifiable characteristics of the team that, just 12 days ago, had incurred just more playoff loss than the seemingly invincible Bulls. Actually, there should be more anticipation for Game 6 of the NBA Finals tonight at the United Center than there was on opening night. Then, the Jazz needed fourvictories to complete their improbable drive for a world championship. Now, they need only two. Only eternaloptimists, the ones, for instance, whofigure that any day Ed McMahonwill be at the door with balloons, a bottle of champagne, a dozen red roses and a check for $10 million, afford the Jazz much chanceofsurviving a stampedeof the Bulls tonight Sure to be quick in rebuttal are the dreamers who maintain there are notso-subtle reminders the Jazz couldstill Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune Dennis Rodman tooka big hit in the wallet for his remarks. close-out victory at the defending champion ChicagoBulls. But back on June 1, the Jazz were MIAMI HERALD load series, mes on Channel §) Game(All4 —garChicago 84, Game 2 — Chica: Gam themselves for consid- It was another dreary day along the Navy Pier here in Chicago Thursday. A thick fog hung over Lake Michigan, nearly obscuring the Windy City's Magnificent Mile. Similar atmospheric conditions greeted the Utah Jazz almost two weeks ago when they began their NBAFinals challenge against the BY DAVE SHEININ JAZZ VS. BULLS claim their fifth world championship in seven years and position Rapids at MetroStars Winston Motorsports 300 CB) 7 p.m. — NBA Finals, Jazz at Bulls bration worthy of an All-Star gameortheplayoffs. Red, white and blue bunting was draped throughout the park A logo proclaiming this the “First Interleague Game" was painted on first, second and third bases, and emblazoned on banners out side eachstadiumentrance. A sellout crowdarrive soak it all in, Many were to autographs from the Giants, then everyone heard country mu sic sensation LeAnn Rimes sing the national anthem. She barely hadthefinal few words out when fireworks went off. Time Out Targets Spotted: Number of at bats needed to have hit $00 home runs: 1, Lou Gehrig (493 homers) — needed 1 3 more at-bats Stan Musial (475) needed 57 3. Willie Stargell (475) — need. ed 418 4. Dave Winfield (465) — need. ed 830 5. rl Yastreemaki (452) needed 1,272 |
