Sports Figures Say The Darndest Things
You Never Know What You'll Hear Next!
I'm sort of the "Reader's Digest" of columnists.
I read all the press releases, basketball and football publications, newspapers and even game programs looking for quotable quotes, funny or serious.
It's been a very good year.
Take the program at the recent Southeastern Conference Tournament. It yielded such jewels as these:
After Mississippi State's 50-36 loss to Kentucky at Rupp Arena, Bulldog coach Richard Williams was asked if he would have expected to win had he known beforehand that his team would hold
	
	Stan Torgerson Cats' Pause Columnist
	
the Wildcats to only 50 points. Williams' answer?
"For us the way we shoot, I'd think we'd get 48."
The feature on Alabama in referring to their star Derrick McKey said, "The 6'9" basketball star wasn't heavily recruited."
Since McKey played his high school ball in my hometown and since I had seen as many as nine coaches and assistant coaches show up one night to scout the young man during his senior season, obviously I'm going to have to redefine my personal definition of being "heavily recruited."
I suppose you think of Vanderbilt as a solid, straight line, almost
stuffy basketball team? Not soat least not according to the SEC program.
"In a season filled with zany play by every Southeastern Conference team the Vanderbilt Commodores feel right at home," the writer said. "They've been playing that kind of ball for years."
Oh, come on now! There are a lot ef words which describe the Vanderbilt program but "zany" isn't one of them.
Loved the Auburn press release with Pat Dye's quote about his 1987 Auburn football team.
Said Pat, "If our best players play as well as they can play, I think we will have a chance against anybody we play!"
Say that again. Pat. but slowly!
Indiana coach Bobby Knight is as subtle as a Mack truck. When asked about the three-point shot recently, Knight said, "I didn't like the damn rule then (before the season), I don't like it now."
LaSalle basketball coach Bill Morris describing his lack of speed when he was a player:
"I used to drive the lane and get called for three seconds," said Morris.
Indiana star Steve Alford may be destined for the diplomatic service. When asked recently if the public had the right perception of Hoosier coach Bobby Knight, Alford said, "I've survived for four years and I've only got one game left."
A perfect "no-call" if we've ever heard one.
Knight was sitting by Alford's side, "You little so and so," Knight smiled, "just keep one thing in mind. You aren't ever going to be out from under that umbrella. Now say what you want."
Alford smiled back. He also said nothing.
Gary Leonard, center for Missouri's basketball team, was asked about the NCAA's mandatory drug tests before tournament play.
"Isn't it something?" said Leonard. "The road to New Orleans starts in the bathroom."
Benny Dees gave his University of New Orleans team three days off during Mardi Gras. He said they refused to practice anyway while the fun time was going on. When he finally called his club together again, Dees observed, "We practiced Ash Wednesday and I'm not sure they were sober."
You probably don't realize how much the good Lord gets involved in basketball. After DePaul scored in the final seconds to tie St. John's and then went on to win the game in overtime, Blue Demon coach Joey Meyer told the press, "I suppose the Lord watched over the Mets and the Giants so it was about time he did something for the Windy City." ,
The recent death of former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes reminds me of the time a surgeon operated to remove his gall bladder, then later had to go back in and take out a surgical sponge that had accidently been left in the incision.
"I don't know how a doctor could make a mistake," said Hayes I coached for 40 years and never made one."
Bill Frieder, Michigan's basketball coach, lost to North Carolina in the NCAA tournament. The game was played at Charlotte Coliseum, a virtual home-court advantage for the Tar Heels.
Said Frieder, "When we came to the arena and the security guard was wearing a Carolina cap and wouldn't let us in while they unloaded the Carolina bus, I knew we were in trouble."
For years, Nevada Las Vegas coach Jerry Tarkanian has been ac cused of bending, or outright breaking, NCAA rules. Recently, he threw a few shots back to college basketball's governing body.
On UCLA's alleged illegal inducements to sign Sean Higgins
Say It Again, Pat!
Tarkanian said, "I'll guarantee you they won't do anything to UCLA. They'll throw them a banquet."
Tark, the Shark, then turned his attention to Kentucky and last year's Pulitzer Prize winning series by a Lexington newspaper which exposed numerous alleged illegalities.
"What they've done with Kentucky is incredible," said the Vegas coach. "They haven't done nothing. It's an absolute joke."
As I said, it's been a very good year. And you can quote me!
Not For Broadcast
The two Wilsons will be sorely missed at LSU. Nikita Wilson finished his career as the eighth all-time scorer for the Tigers and teammate Anthony Wilson wrapped up his time in Baton Rouge as No. 18 on the all-time list. . .LSU appeared on all five TV networks this past seasonCBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN and USA. All together the Tigers logged 12 TV games. . .Two players, Joe Lawrence of Florida and Barry Booker of Vanderbilt hit 50 percent or more of their three-point shots last season. Lawrence led with 64 of 127 for 50.4 percent, and Booker was second with 85 of 170 for 50 percent. Interestingly enough, however, neither one made the top 15 in overall shooting percentage nor was either listed in the top 15 free throw category. In addition, neither Lawrence or Booker cracked the top 20 list of scorers. . .The SEC posted an 84-33 record against non-league opponents, a winning percentage of 71.8. . .The Lawrence and Kessler families must be especially proud. Brothers Joe and Pat Lawrence of Florida and brothers Chad and Alec Kessler of Georgia made the Academic All-SEC team along with Mark Gottfried of Alabama, Keith Kessinger of Ole Miss, Mark Peters of Mississippi State, Mark Griffin and Russ Spivey of Tennessee and Barry Goheen and Steve Reese of Vanderbilt. To be selected to the team a player must have at least a 3.0 average during his career or the immediate past academic year, must be at least a sophomore, must have at least 24 hours accountable toward a degree, and must be a regular performer on the team. Chad Kessler, Joe Lawrence and Reese all made it for the third consecutive year. The 11 qualifiers are the most in the SEC since the 1976 season. . .Tony White's scoring record
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Gridiron Reality
Dear Sir:
I agree with E.E. Jones' comments regarding the lack of sports parity at UK (March 28 issue of The Cats' Pause).
Even the "nosepickers" at UK must realize that while the basketball program has depended for years now on out-of-state talent, the UK football program is making progress, though not great, with largely in-state players.
What I am seeing in Kentucky is that good high school athletes are now just as likely to be found on the gridiron as on the hardwood. What I don't see is the press in Kentucky catching on to this trend (Rick Bozich. Louisville Courier-Journal, is one notable exception). A recent illustration of this point is the 1987 Kentucky High School basketball tournament just finished. It featured two Wildcat signees, not in basketball, but football, and both Joey Couch of Paintsville and Shawn Evans of Madison Central made the all-tournament team.
How many players in the tournament is Eddie Sutton seriously recruiting? One? And how many basketball players in Kentucky received the national attention that a half-dozen or so football players did?
TV news clips revealed some interesting information this past football and basketball season on the high school level. I was surprised to see a lot of large enthusiastic football crowds and just as surprised to see some near-empty gyms, especially for some key matchups. Last year when the Trinity-St. Xavier football game (as usual) drew over 20.000 fans to Fairgrounds Stadium it barely got a mention in the paper. But. when 10.000 fans showed up for a basketball game between Henry Clay and Owensboro Apollo one would have thought the Final Four had hit Lexington.
Shouldn't press coverage reflect fan interest? Twice as many kids play varsity football in this state as they do varsity basketball. Careful guys, there may be a few "nosepickers" in your press rooms.
Sincerely yours,
Edward Aaron Somerset, Ky.
(Editors note You've certainly made some good points, but don't forget to compare the crowds for the boys' state basketball tournament with that of the football playoffs. By the way, Deron Feldhaus also played in the state tournament and made the all-tourney team. There's obviously room for both sports in the state.)
Sutton Optmistic About '88 Season
At his last weekly press conference (March 23) of the '87 season, coach Eddie Sutton said he was "very optimistic about next year. . .but not as much as Dick Vitale."
Already, Vitale, the colorful ESPN analyst, has the Wildcats picked No. 2 next season, behind only Michigan.
Much of the press conference covered the six Wildcat signees. Here's a thumbnail sketch by the Kentucky coach of the UK freshmen-to-be.
*LeRon Ellis, 6-foot-ll. Santa Ana. Calif. (Has passed college test). Says Sutton: "He'll certainly help us next year. . Jumps well, shoots well, plays with his back to the basket, but can shoot facing the basket. He'll remind a lot of people of Sam Bowie. . .Needs to get stronger and needs to develop
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