Show o Hif ®be Section C jidt fake ©ribune Tuesday 3 Morning-Febru- ary 1987 Page ftVym W1 I Sports 7 l rsyprLnj4pi'fcy3Tir‘"ffr"c‘yar“‘“‘Tri"T‘‘’y‘yF" I -- I2” KOO-2- ocal 227-22- Sporl' liilorinalion I 22 Call r Young’ Lady Utes Spur Gym Victory 4 Win From Claiming Cup By Eric Sharp r Newspapers FREMANTLE Australia — At one of those miserable moments when you think that nothing else could go wrong an inflatable boat roared up to Kookaburra III on the last leg of race three in the America's Cup and a man aboard yelled “You’ve got a bomb on board What do you want to do?” Kookaburra skipper Iain Murray’s Australian crew was so far behind Stars & Stripes on their way to a third straight defeat that Murray's response was "Well what’s the bad news?” The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax But what was all too real to the Aussies was the realization that Stars & Stripes virtually won the America's Cup Monday on the first beat of that race Oh there were still a few fussy little technical details to wrap up like finishing that race one minute and 46 seconds ahead of Kookaburra III And the rules say the American boat still has to win one more race to make the series official if only for appearances’ sake even the But with the score Aussies seemed to be conceding that was only a formality With apologies to Tony Bennett it would not be premature to belt See C-- Column 1 Knight-Ridde- By Dick Rosetta Tribune Sports Writer It was "Teen Night" at the University of Utah Special Events Center Monday Nebraska Coach Rick Walton could be excused if he asked authorities to “card" the amazing Lady Ute gymnastics team To say the Lady Ute team came of e age Monday night before an NCAA meet record of 9186 fans would be a gross understatement This 18975 score to beat Nebraska’s 18425 wasn’t possible Was it? — Tina Two veteran Hermann and Lynne Lederer — on the sidelines with injuries and another Cheryl Weather-ston- e on a tender ankle competing with only five hours notice just wouldn't translate into the nation’s highest 1987 gymastics score But teenagers can be impetuous at time sneering at pressure and anxious to escape the shackles seemingly automatically imposed on rookies So in case you missed her leading scores of 37 80 and 38 20 the last two weeks meet Lady Ute Michelle Hilse: Monday’s score the nation’s 1987 high of 38 45 And be introduced to Kris Takahashi: Monday's score — 3765 Oh yes for the first time ever in a collegiate competition welcome Lady Ute Nicole Trewitt: all-tim- best-of-seve- n 0 8 Playing Time Is Low But Curry’s Spirits Remain High By Steve Luhm Tribune Sports Writer The Jazz’s long bench still hasn’t given Dell Curry a long face Halfway through his rookie season Curry remains content to sit to learn and to wait for his big chance in the NBA It’s coming The Sacramento Kings who play the Jazz Tuesday night at the Salt Palace got a look at Curry Sunday night in the first game of an early-wee- home-and-hom- k set with Utah e 18 points during Curry scored a career-hig3 the Jazz’s victory including 10 in a SVminute stretch of the first half Curry entered the game with the Kings By halftime the Jazz led leading “He won the game for us” said Coach Frank Layden "There’s no question about it ” Said Curry “I was a little surprised I got in that early It was a game we really needed But Frank's always saying ‘Be ready You never know when it’ll be your turn’ So that’s what I try to do” Curry had played only four minutes in the previous four games and he’d played just 13 in the previous seven Layden however sad Curry had earned his minutes against the Kings “He’s been working hard in practice” Layden said "He’s been playing well Hey you don't want these guys to die on the vine We planned to play him in the first half We knew he was going to get some quality time" For Curry any kind of playing time has been tough to get Drafted 15th overall by the Jazz the guard from Virginia Tech has spent his rookie season behind Bob Hansen and Darrell Griffith "I think I adjusted to that early in the season” said Curry a second-tealast year "It might be different if I’d done something wrong or if I didn't think I could play in this league But that’s not it There are just a couple of experienced guys in front of me who happen to be great players” Curry knows he could be playing more for another team a la Ron Harper or Chuck Person He prefers to find a bright side "A lot of rookies are getting more time" he says "But they are making a lot of mistakes I think this situation has been helpful I h 121-11- 59-5- 0 38-3- 0 — Tfibune Staff Photo by Al Hartmann Jazz rookie Dell Curry has settled into his role as a backup player without complaining about it Curry is just waiting for his time to arrive in the NBA Buck Named Utah’s Top Sportsman BYU defensive tackle Jason Buck has been named Utah's 1986 Sportsman of the Year by the Salt Lake area Chamber of Commerce Buck will receive the award Wednesday at a 7 pm banquet hosted by TV Guide Magazine in the Lindbergh Ballroom of the Salt Lake Airport Hilton 5151 Wiley Post Way Past winners include Larry H Miller LaVell Edwards Steve — — or Recorded N'orc Call Stars & Stripes 1 'i'n'i(pliifp ji "g y—y-y-iyi- Young Mahon Greg Marsden Marc Howard Wilson Jim Mc- W'ayne Jerry Pimm Suzie Steve Odom Brasher Beaty and Art Teeee Zelmo The Buck won the Outland Trophy this past season as the best interior lineman in college football Buck was the first player from the Rocky Mountain region to win the Outland since Merlin Olsen of Utah State was selected in 1961 d Jason Buck watch Bob and I watch Griff I watch how they play defense I watch how they do little things I think it’s helped me” It’s little wonder Layden mentions Curry's approach to the game when asked about the rookie’s attributes “Attitude" the Jazz coach said "He was drafted into a tough situation by a team heavy with guards But all along he’s had that We’re happy to have him on great attitude our team He’s a nice person A good person” And on the floor? "He’s got great shooting ability” Layden said “And great hands He’s just terrific He’s a gifted talented player” Layden said the Jazz drafted Curry because of his ability — he was the 1986 Metro Conference player of the year — and because the status of Griffith was unclear Griffith you recall was coming off a fractured foot that sidelined him last season "We didn't know we had Griffith” Layden explained “He’d been hurt and at the time he wasn't under contract” deal Griffith however signed a long-terwith the Jazz before the start of the season And his injured foot seems healthy again Combined with tough steady Hansen and the explosive Griffith the addition of Curry d has made the Jazz ridiculously deep at Other teams have noticed The names of both Hansen and Griffith have popped up in trade rumors during the first half of the season although the Jazz have said all along that nothing is in the works But what about Curry? Has there been any interest in the only rookie on the Jazz roster? “No" said Layden "We haven't talked to anybody about him since the summer when they other teams thought we might have a problem signing him “And now well we just wouldn't trade him He’s a draft pick and I don’t trade those When you do things like that it can come back to haunt you” So the situation in the Jazz backcourt remains status quo first-roun- d Curry seems to understand "Somebody has to start somebody has to come off the bench and somebody has to sit’’ And Curry seems to be content "I have to be We’re winning and in the NBA that’s all you want to do As long as we’re winning I’ll ’’ be satisfied Monday's scores — 9 40 on vault 9 45 on the balance beam and 9 30 on floor exercises Almost lost freshmen was the frolics by the sophomore Sonja Ahone who exploded through a full-o- n 1‘ vault to an electrifying 9 80 score which tied the school record of former Lady Utes Megan Marsden and Elaine Alfano in It was Ahone a product of Cottonwood High School who struck at the perforheart of Monday's high-tecmance — one which outdid the season opening score of 18850 against Arizona State and last week’s 189 00 h against Utah State and Washington “I think we may have been a little apprehensive about this meet We were bummed out about Tina Hermann who sustained head and knee injuries in an auto accident Saturday night We knew it the accident could have been a lot worse We wanted it for her I think we do bettei under trying circumstances” said Ahone who began honing the new 1 12 (full-ooff) vault just two months ago "As for me last week I didn’t do well on all my events and I just got mad and vowed to do better tonight” Ahone added A school record could be construed as "better" It shattered Column See n 1 C-- 8 pzSports Capsuleiz NBA Washington 104 New York 98 Denver 140 LA Clippers 112 Dallas 103 L A Lakers 99 Seattle 108 New Jersey 100 Top 20 Basketball Temple 72 Massachusetts 59 DePaul 84 North Carolina State 62 St John's 67 Georgetown 65 (OT) Illinois 82 Ohio State 65 Duke 62 Stetson 59 NHL Toronto 8 Philadelphia 4 PCAA Basketball Cal-Stat- Fullerton e 62 San Jose State 60 Division II Basketball SUSC 80 Notre Dame (Calif) 70 TV Sports ESPN )5 pm — College Basketball at Boston College USA )6 pm rwTBsfi:i)5 — pm at Atlanta - NBA Basketball ESPN 17 pm — College Basketball cuse at Seton Hall ESPN 110 pm — e College Basketball at West Virginia ( ( Prov-idenc- Bos-to- n Syra- America's Cup Finals Missou Hires Wheeler COLUMBIA Mo (AP) — Former University of Utah defensive coordinator George Wheeler is returning to the University of Missouri Coach Woody Widenhofer announced Monday Wheeler was named to coach the Tigers’ defensive line a position he held at Missouri from 1978 to 1982 Wheeler was fired by Utah after the Utes’ defense finished the 1986 season ranked 105th out of the 105 Division I schools allowing an average of 495 2 yards per game Quotable "At the age of 30 I’m going to retire and never get out of the bed before noon ” again —Sixers forward Charles Barkley Big Money Lures Small Schools to Ask for Division I Hoop Status Ned Wulk when he coached basketball at Arizona State argued for the expansion of the NCAA tournament field figuring there was so much money involved that spreading the loot among more teams would lessen the temptation to cheat The tournament has been expanded several times since then and some now advocate admitting all the Division 1 (major) teams into the NCAA tournament Currently that division includes 290 teams which some coaches believe to be too many Dean Smith of North Carolina has spoken out for a College Basketball Association similar to the College Football Association which was formed to give better representation to the football powers However the CFA was able to establish guidelines to divide its membership from those who clung to the fringe of Division They had solid factors like size of stadium average attendance and strength of schedule which acted as natural dividers among the haves and have-not- s Finances proved to be the guidepost for football segregation but finances are the confusing issue in the basketball hodgepodge CBS has signed a $166 million pact for four years for NCAA basketball meaning just getting a bid (one of 64) to the NCAA tournament is worth a heap of bucks So every Near more schools opt for Division I in basketball in hopes of making ihe tournament They can do this on a credible basis since fielding a winning basketball team is not nearly as expensive as building a class football program Not only is it less expensive but the potential returns are greater Unless a football team gains TV exposure and a major bowl the prospects of reaping any appreciable financial rewards are slim even for half the College Football Association members Several basketball schools can align themselves in a new conference and have a shot at the tournament loot And it’s legit because each year a darkhorse or two you never heard of pulls an upset I)Un and Data CR Sales of Dark City rolled a scratch 3506 series at Holiday Lanes in Heber City with Roy Ritchie's 794 Bill Warden's 743 Mike Byer s 730 Kelly Mueher’s 629 and KeDo you remember vin Maxwell’s 610 when Tom (Tony) Robello batted 404 in 1939 - John Mooney Sports Editor he did not win the Pioneer League batting championship? Pete Hughes of the Ogden Reds batted 409 for the title Quig Nielsen’s book “They Tell it Like It Was” is on sale for $7 98 at Sam Weller’s Zion Book store footBYU's or Deseret Books ball schedule was nothing compared to the slate played by Amos Alonzo Stagg's Chicago reU team in 1894 which had a cord of Billy (The Hill) McGill recalls he was the No 1 draft choice and his Mac salary offer was less than $18000 of one in was the who pro greats Speedie football recalled his top salary was $25000 The greatest racehorse of all time was Kinesem a Hungarian mare with 54 victories career in 1870s in 54 races in a four-yea- r Tom Chambers the former I’te drew this appraisal from Coach Bernie Bickerstaff: one-seaso- n "We asked him to be a complete player and he's responded as well as anyone I’ve seen He’s scoring rebounding and passing off for assists in large numbers I’d like someone to show me another forward in the league other than Larry Bird who’s averaging the points rebounds and assists Tom is" Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the highest scoring average in the NBA with 50 4 m 1962 Speaking of aces in golf recently did you know Dr Joseph O Boydstone of scored 11 holes in Roddy Piper one in a single year according to Golf Digest? Reports claim the Detirer Dost will discontinue its five-yea- r sponsorship of the Champions of Golf tournament on the PGA Senior tour Today's Trivia: At least seven Academy Award winners were former athletes Can you name them? Fisher’s and Sizzler's are contemplating sponsorship of a women's bike racing team to compete against the established Guthrie racing team Benny Leonard a Hall of Famer and lightweight champion from 1917 to 1925 had bouts and won only 89 with one draw He boxed in the era" and 115 of his fights went the distance and were recoid-eas "no decision " Whatever happened to "Popeye” McKenzie the former Ute" Miguel (the Human YoYo) Ferrara was knocked down 36 times in a by Vittorio Campolo in 1925 which averages a 210 five-round- knockdown every 25 seconds Rowdy Roddy Piper will face Adorable Adrian Adonis in mam event of Wednesday’s mat card at the Salt Palace but the feature is a "bunk-housbattle royal" for 20 grapplers who are allowed to bring any weapon they choose into the ring Trivia Answer: Former athletes turned actors include Victor McLaughlin (pro boxer and wrestler) Broderick Crawford (football) Yul Brynner (circus acrobat) Charlton Heston (football) Burt Lancaster (circus acrobat) Gregory Peck (football) and John Wayne (football) To settle a wager r a College team played pro champions in the Chicago Tribune game from 1934 through 1976 with the NFL holding a edge e All-Sta- Ols‘ration Wart! That wrestling "bunkhouse battle royal” sounds like something dreamed up during the county attorney’s office in fighting |