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Show Anaheim 9, Cleveland 6 ‘Cincinnati 6, Houston § WOBITUARIES C-7 @ TIGER: CAPS STUNNING COMEBACK C-2 ® INDY 500: QUALIFYING DONE C-3 MAY 21, 2001 EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS Lucky 7” Iverson in Giving Mood As 76ers Down Raptors BY CHRIS SHERIDAN THE ASSOCLATHD PRESS Leah Hogsten/TheSalt Lake Tribune Salt Lake Stingers pitcher Matt Wise delivers a pitch Sunday. Wise stung the Sky Soxin the Stingers’ win. PHILADELPHIA Iverson passed his biggest test, Stingers Pitchers Growing scoring 50 points again but by passing theball and trusting his teammates. And in & game that came down to the last shot, Vinee didn’t havethofinal answer. Iverson didn't have to win Game7 all by himself, and he was smart enough to Knowit, Hand: WWivestonat ura 6:30 p.m. then flew on a private plane to Philadelphia, attemptedthefinal shot of the game a 23-footer Monday, May 20 Philadelphia at Miwaukee,ao pm, trip to the Bastern Conferencefl- nals since1985, The 76ers will begin their series against Milwaukee at home Tuesdaynight, “1 wanted to do something is Franklin Covey Field, the Stingers conducted another successful experiment Sunday, Matt Wise, in the research-anddevelopment phase of his baseball ca- ing @ great scoring night. In a millionyears I'd neverbelieve I'd comeout and havea career high inassists,” Iversonsaid. “1 feel so good about this win victory, Wise's outing,his bestin three starts, is Just the most recent example of the changes that the Stingers’ pitching staff is undergoing every day, every start, sometimesevery inning, becauseI really, really know in- side and believe that I have a team,forthefirst timein mylife, thatI feel we can win @ champlonshipwith,” None of those teammates The names of Salt Lake's starting pitchers haven't changed in the last six weeks, but the repe- came up bigger than Aaron McK: le, whose 22 points were one more than Iverson totaled on 8 for-27 shooting. M te shot 8-for-16andscored toire, decisionmaking and mechanics have, in ways both subtle anddramatic, Rusty Kennedy/The Associated Pross: §KYSOX 4 stops," said Stingers ¢pmnene pitching coach Randy STINGERS 10 Kramer, who, along fm Box, repo 0-5 with manager Garry ———___ Templeton, makes Suggestions and refinements with his staff every day. “One guy learneda newpitch. Anotheris try- ing to locate his breakingpitch a little lower.Wiseis learningto mix inacurve. It's a daily process, to keep trying to makethem better.” See, while some people may have learnedeverything they need to know in kindergarten, pitchers know only one thing: They don’t know enough. "‘Nobody ever has everything figured "said Wise, who evenedhis record at 3- , “You haveto keep learning new things, because the hitters don’t ever stop adjusting.” That'sa lesson that Wise learnedthe hard way last August. Armed with a good fastball and an even better change- up, Wise held the Blue Jaystofive hits in 6% innings and outdueled 20-game- winner David Wells for his first bigleague victory, But when he faced Toronto again two weekslater, things had because Wise hadnot, See WISE, Page C-5 Philadelphia at Miwaukee, 3:30 p.m, Mitwaukee at Philadelphia, 7 p.m, Wnecessary oer June 1 Prindobtia t Milwaukee, TBD ee Miwaukee at Phinda, TeD necessary Inside WWuardsNo. 1 indratt lottery C8 @ Spurs-Lakors Game 2 preview 68 special, but the way you draw it up ifyou're a scorer is hav- reer, used the Pacific Coast League's best hitting team like lab animals for his new mix of pitches, stifling Colorado Springs on sevenhits en route to a 10-4 changed want at “Pn6:90 p.m, Carter, who graduated from North Carolina earlier Sunday, Iverson, ranto hug his mother BY PHIL MILLER never ference finals Sunday as they edged the Toronto Raptors 88-87. anddaughter, confetti fell from the ceiling of the First Union Centerandtherest of the Sixers celebrated the franchise's first In the gant baseball ee that That EASTERN CONFERENCE Fi teens PHILADELPHIA ve. MILWAUKEE reteMew just before the buzzerthat wasa little too long. new mechanics, approach “Every one of our guysis tinkering with ing off'acareershigh16as a night whenhis shooting touch wasoff, Iversonled the Philadel: phia 76ers into the Eastern Con- Renovated Wisestifles PCL’s besthitters with stuff, Allen GAME7: 76ERS 88 RAPTORS87 “All can think about is that shot, It’s something youlivefor, . +» Maybe next year.” VINCE CARTER Missed last-second shot that would have sent Raptors to the Eastern Conference finals, Philadelphia's final four points, 76ers guard Allen Iverson splits Toronto's Antonio Davis, left, and Alvin Williams. See 76ERS, Page C-8 ‘Big 3’ Produce, But Johnson Delivers BY ARNIE STAPLETON THE ASSOCIATEDPRI MILWAUKEE— Ervin Johnson has gone from MIA to MVP in GeorgeKarl's eyes. The coach andcenterdidn’t get along when they werein Seattle, where Karl questioned Johnson's guts and gumption, suggesting the raw big man might not be cut out for the rigors of thé NBA. In Milwaukee,they've found bliss together, and never more sothan on Sunday, when the Bucks ad: vancedto the Eastern Conference finals forthefirst time since 1986 and Kar! called Johnson his most valuable player, Glenn Robinson scored 29 points and Ray Allen had 28; matching their career playoff highs, and Sam Cassell added 17 as the Bucks beat the Char lotte Hornets 104-95 in Game7. great job, Even though GAME 7: the ‘Big Three’ are exBUCKS 104 pecting most ofthe reHORNETS95 ward, | really’ think Ervin wasfantastic." Johnson had 11 re bounds andfour blocks as Milwaukeetied a fran: chiseplayoff record with 13 blocked shots, including at least one by all five starters. After moving into the starting lineup in Game5, Johnsonpulled down 41 rebounds and blocked 12 shots. He also helped frustrate Elden Campbell and Jamal Mashburn. “I know Glenn Robinson and Ray Allen and Sam Cassell are great shooters, but Scott Williams and Ervin Johnson were probably MVPs," Mashburn said, “They sacrificed so much to get those guys open. They'relike twoP.J. Browns outthere,I got “Glenn and Ray were very..." Karl said, pausing to give credit where he thought it was really due, “Ervin Johnson probably is in my mind sick and tired of seeing Ervin Johnson.” “He wasso good at the dirty work and in the interior, in the paint,” Karl said, “He and Scotty {Williams} and Jason Caffey, all my big guys did a sayingalot of negative things about that when we the MVPof theseries,” So did Karl whenhe wasin Seattle. “I Just thank God that he united me and George back togethe: lohnson said, “A lot of people were See BUCKS,Page C-8 Joffrey Phelps/‘Tho Associated Press Milwaukee's Ervin Johnson reacts after a basket in Game7, Johnson had 11 rebounds andfour blocks. and aed fo BY CARRIE SHEINBERG SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE t 5-foot-4 and 140 pounds, Derek Parra stands out among employ: ees at the Weat Valley City Home Depot store. Not because he is an Olympian, but because he works in the elec: trical departmentat thefront. “People comein here looking for What they need,and I'm the first person they see,” said Parra, a U.S. spoedskater. “I'm happytohelp them out. I don't tell them anything about who I am. I'm just @ Mexican guy in the electrical depart: ment." Few customers suspect thatthe 31 HomeDepotleads wayin providing jobs for Olympians with their dryer hook-up also moonlights as oneof America’s best hopesfor a medalin 2002 Olympic athletes are accustomed to “Theseathletes have three years to makean impact in three weeks," said Ron Reinbolt, managerof the West Jordanstore and Home Depot's captain for the Olympics, "Whatthey go through for thosethree weeks is 80 admirable, We working odd jobs, Some have been more creative in the past, operating coin-op Jaundromats, washing windows and ‘are all happy to support them," As anOlympic sponsor, Home Depot is the largest participant in the hela year-old man in the orange apron and the weight belt whojust helped them mowing lawns. Until recently, Charles Schwab sponsored a summerinternship program for U8, Ski and Snowboard athletes, and someof those athletes turned the internships intocareers, ‘The combination of corporatesup. port and the Olympic spirit has proved beneficial to many. Job Opportunities Program, For n years, the companyhas offered aeto Olympians consisting of 20-hour work woeksin return for a 40-hour paycheck and full-time benefits, This has proved ‘80 appealing to perpetually cash-starved See JOBS, Page C-6 es |
