Wednesday, January 28, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 7
Sprewell tries to reduce punishment from NBA
Hearings attempt to speed return, lessen NBA fine
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore.— Behind a curtain of secrecy, an arbitrator began hearing testimony yesterday about whether the NBA and the Golden State Warriors excessively punished Latrell Sprewell for choking and threatening to kill coach P.J. Carlesimo.
"I'm happy to be here." Sprewell said as he arrived at the downtown office building for the start of the hearing. "Hopefully, this will get over with."
Arbitrator John Feerkirch, dean of the Fordham Law School, has issued a gag order barring those involved from revealing testimony.
Sprewell was thrown out of the league for a year, the longest nondrug suspension in NBA history, and the remaining three years of his contract with Golden State, valued at $25 million, were terminated.
Billy Hunter, the head of the NBA players' union, expressed optimism that the punishment would be reduced.
"There will be some modification, I'm convinced," he said before going into the hearing. "The best outcome would be Sprewell's return and let us sort of end things where they are."
"There will be some modification, I'm convinced. The best outcome would be Sprewell's return and let us sort of end things where they are."
Billy Hunter
Hunter said the case was
extremely important for players' contractual rights.
head of the NBA players' union
"If this becomes a precedent, it means that basically no one has a guaranteed contract," he said. "Everybody becomes vulnerable."
Hunter said the best outcome from the union's perspective would be to have Sprewell reinstated immediately with a $3-million to $4-million setback.
The hearing takes the form of a
trial, with Sprewell and the union serving as plaintiffs and the Warriors and NBA as defendants. After opening statements, each side calls witnesses, who are subject to cross-examination. The hearing is closed.
At the Rose Garden arena, across the Willamette River from the hearing site, Carlesimo yesterday took Warriors players through a morning shootout as preparation for last night's game against Portland.
Carlesimo and some Warrior players are expected to testify on Wednesday. Carlesimo refused to comment on the hearing and said he was concentrating on trying to end his team's 14-game losing streak.
Many of those who testify will relive the Golden State practice of Dec. 1, when Sprewell choked Carlesimo and threatened to kill him. According to some witnesses, Sprewell left the gym after the attack, but returned 20 minutes later and assaulted the coach again.
The Portland sessions are expected to run through Friday, with the hearing reopening next Tuesday and Wednesday in New
York, where NBA commissioner David Stern likely will testify.
Sprewell should know his fate by March 16.
The NBA was represented by NBA chief counsel Jeffrey Mishkin, league attorney Rick Buchanan and outside counsel Shep Goldfinch. The Warriors' attorney is Bob Schiebelstein.
The league said it would not comment on the hearing until a ruling is made.
Sprewell was quoted in yesterday's New York Post as saying, "I wasn't trying to kill P.J."
Last week he also told the newspaper, "Death threats! That's not the person I am. I was angry, but I didn't mean what I said. You know how people say things they don't mean when they're angry."
BIG 12 CONFERENCE
Men's basketball statistics leaders
As of Monday, Jan. 26
SCORING
SCORING
1. Cory Carr, Texas Tech 23.5
2. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska 21.5
3. Paul Pierce, Kansas 20.2
4. Corey Brewer, Oklahoma 19.9
5. Brian Skinner, Baylor 19.1
6. Adrian Peterson, Okla. St. 17.1
7. Manny Dies, Kansas St. 16.8
8. Kris Clack, Texas 16.1
9. Shanne Jones, Texas A&M 16.1
10. Desmond Mason, Okla. St. 15.8
11. Marcus Fizer, Iowa St. 15.1
12. Rayford Young, Texas Tech 14.9
13. Kelly Thames, Missouri 14.8
14. Luke Axell, Texas 14.6
15. Billy Thomas, Kansas 14.3
FIELD GOAL PCT
3-POINT FG PCT
(Min. Stats per game)
1. Brian Skinner, Baylor 58.7
2. Manny Dies, Kansas St. 57.0
3. Desmond Mason, Oklahoma. St. 56.5
4. Brett Robisch, Okla. St. 54.5
5. Marcus Fizer, Iowa St. 50.9
6. Shanne Jones, Texas A&M 49.8
7. Paul Pierce, Kansas 49.7
8. Billy Thomas, Kansas 47.2
9. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma. St. 46.1
10. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska 44.4
BLOCKED SHOTS
REBOUNDING
1. Brian Skinner, *Baylor* 3.8
2. Venson Hamilton, *Nebraska* 2.5
3. Chris Mihm, *Texas* 2.4
4. Calvin Davis, *Texas A&M* 2.3
5. Ryan Humphrey, Oklahoma 2.0
6. Manny Dies, Kansas St. 2.0
7. Eric Chenowith, Kansas 1.9
8. Ronnie DeGray, Colorado 1.9
9. Shawn Rhodes, Kansas St. 1.4
10. Paul Pierce, Kansas 1.4
1. Kenny Price, Colorado 44.7
2. Luke Axtell, Texas 44.4
3. Stan Bonewitz, Texas Tech 43.0
4. Roddrick Miller, Baylor 42.9
5. Billy Thomas, Kansas 42.5
6. Corey Brewer, Oklahoma 40.3
7. Duane Davis, Kansas St. 39.4
8. Patrick Hunter, Baylor 39.3
9. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska 38.1
10. Jerry Curry, Iowa St. 35.6
1. Brian Skinner, *Baylor* 10.2
2. Venson Hamilton, *Nebraska* 10.2
3. Robbie Bisch, *Okla. St.* 8.6
4. Klay Edwards, *Iowa St.* 8.5
5. Cliff Owens, *Texas Tech* 8.2
6. Manny Dies, *Kansas St.* 7.9
7. Andy Markowski, *Nebraska* 7.7
8. Chris Mihm, *Texas* 7.7
9. Ronnie DeGray, *Colorado* 7.4
10. Paul Pierce, *Kansas* 7.4
ASSISTS
STEALS
1. Doug Gottlieb, Okla. St. 7.1
2. Ryan Robertson, Kansas 6.4
3. Tyrone Lue, Nebraska 4.7
4. Michael Johnson, Oklahoma 4.5
5. Steve Houston, Texas A&M 4.5
6. Brian Barone, Texas A&M 4.5
7. Patrick Hunter, Baylor 4.4
8. Rayford Young, Texas Tech 4.4
9. Stan Bonewitz, Texas Tech 4.1
10. Cookie Belcher, Nebraska 4.1
TEAM STANDINGS as of yesterday
3-POINT FG MADE
1. Steve Houston, Texas A&M 2.8
2. Kris Clack, Texas 2.3
3. Brian Barone, Texas A&M 2.1
4. Cookie Belcher, Nebraska 2.1
5. Joe Adkins, Oklahoma, St. 2.0
1. Billy Thomas, Kansas 3.3
2. Stan Bonewitz, Texas Tech 3.1
3. Kenny Price, Colorado 2.9
4. Roddrick Miller, Baylor 2.8
5. Luke Axtell, Texas 2.8
6. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska 2.5
7. Cory Carr, Texas Tech 2.3
8. Corey Brewer, Oklahoma 2.3
9. Patrick Hunter, Baylor 2.2
10. Jerry Curry, Iowa St. 1.9
Team Conf. Overall
1. Oklahoma 6-2 15-6
2. Baylor 5-2 10-7
3. Kansas 6-1 22-3
4. Oklahoma St. 4-3 14-3
5. Nebraska 4-2 13-6
6. Iowa St. 2-4 9-10
7. Texas Tech 2-4 8-8
8. Kansas St. 3-4 12-5
9. Missouri 3-3 11-8
10. Colorado 2-4 8-8
11. Texas A&M 0-6 6-10
12. Texas 2-4 8-10
Next game Date
vs. Texas A&M Jan. 31
at Kansas Tonight
vs. Baylor Tonight
at Texas Jan. 31
at Kansas St. Tonight
at Missouri Jan. 31
vs. Missouri Tonight
vs. Nebraska Tonight
at Texas Tech Tonight
at Texas A&M Tonight
vs. Colorado Tonight
vs. Oklahoma St. Jan. 31
Community college hoops teams try to survive season with fewer reserve players
The Associated Press
HUTCHINSON — When basketball coach Tim Jankovich looks down his bench for help in a game, he doesn't see much help any more.
The Hutchinson Community College coach has just three reserves.
lege coach has just three reserves. It could be worse. Johnson County coach Mike Jeffers sees only two players in uniform on his bench when the game starts.
It's not a pretty picture, but Jankovich and Jeffers are trying to survive the rest of the season in the rugged Jayhawk Community College Conference.
Plagued by injuries and a couple of player dismissals for disciplinary reasons. Hutchinson may have to finish the season with eight players.
After freshman reserve Stan Dohm severely injured his wrist and lower left arm last week against Barton County, the Blue
Dragons didn't panic.
Instead, they looked at the quality rather than the number of players left.
"We have eight talented players, and we can win with them," said freshman Laverne Smith. "If they weren't talented players, I'd be worried."
Jankovich said Hutchinson, which has won 17 of 20 games, needed a solid effort from everyone.
"We are still coming every day with a good attitude, and I take my hat off to this team for that," said Jankovich. "I appreciate their effort so much. Some players could use this adversity as an excuse to try less, but our guys haven't done that."
Athletic Director Randy Stange, who coached the team last year, said the one ray of sunshine in the Hutchinson situation was that everybody could play.
"The bad news is if someone gets hurt or you have any foul problems, you're in trouble," Stange said.
At Johnson County, Jeffers has the same problem as Jankovich and has one less player on the bench.
"As long as you have five to start, you're OK. ... What can you do but just try to survive?" said Jeffers.
Jeffers has altered his team's style of play a couple of times, but his Cavaliers are 8-11.
When his roster was reduced to eight at the semester break, Jeffers said, his phone was constantly ringing with players wanting to join the team.
He has 13 players—walk-ons or transfers—who are sitting out but practicing, including Patrick Nee, the son of Nebraska coach Danny Nee. The younger Nee transferred to Johnson County from Monmouth University.
Broncos fans cling to telephone poles, calling 'Elway!' at rally
The Associated Press
DENVER — Thousands of cheering Denver Broncos fans, including some clinging to traffic lights and others on rooftops, paid homage to the Super Bowl champions yesterday during a parade and rally that nearly brought downtown to a standstill.
The fans, estimated by city officials at 400,000, stood five deep along the mile-plus parade route, waving homemade signs and pennants or tossing confetti and rolls of toilet paper high into the air as the Broncos slowly traveled past in fire trucks and buses with open windows.
City officials stopped the entourage at times when fans swarmed the buses. The players leaned out the bus windows to high-five fans and sign autographs, delaying the start of the rally for more than an hour.
Quarterback John Elway raised his arms with forefingers pointing skyward before holding up the Vince Lombardi trophy and gesturing to his teammates to join him at the front of the stage.
By the time the players reachee Civic Center Park, the orange-and-blue crowd began cheering "Elway! Elway! Elway!"
"How 'bout them Broncos?" Elway asked the crowd, drawing a raucous cheer. "There's only so many times
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said to Elway. "This trophy is as much for you as it is for us."
you can get hit right in the forehead with a fist, but this time we did the punching."
Shanahan also said he believed this was the first time that Elwav
had a chance to win the Super Bowl because of the strength of the other players.
"I've been very fortunate in the NFL in my career to be around a lot of great players. John Elway, in my opinion, is the best quarterback to ever play the game." Shanahan said.
Mayor Wellington Webb presented two new street signs — "John Elway Boulevard" and "Terrell Davis Boulevard."
"Now, all we need to do is build a new stadium to put these signs in front of," Webb said.
The rally had the atmosphere of a street dance, with fans starting impromptu cheers and songs. Music, including some with lyrics altered to reflect the game, blared from loudspeakers set up by radio stations.
Loveland, Colo. "I'm just happy for John Elway and his family and the organization."
"This is great," said Pat Welan of
To glimpse the events, some fans climbed light poles, barren trees, statues and traffic lights. Office workers peered out of skyscraper windows, while groups of construction workers perched on the ledge of a second-story window in one building.
Children, given the day off from school by the city as long as they had parental permission, dotted the crowd.
The parade and rally marked the second public appearance since the team returned from San Diego. About 25,000 fans flocked to Mile High Stadium for a "welcome home rally" Monday night. The celebrating crowd was rowdy immediately after Sunday's game, and police made about 20 arrests and used tear gas to control the crowds. There were no serious incidents during the rallies.
"This is insanity, and it's so cool," said Wendy Polechule of Greeley, Colo., who took time off work to attend the rally. "We're part of the insane and the cool."
Polulech said it was hard to describe the emotions that welled up after the team defeated Green Bay to win the championship.
"What do you say about something you've waited your whole life to see?" she said.
Racism directed at Blacks. . . How it began, and what that means Today. Black History Celebration
free event sponsored by the chancellor's office When: Friday Feb. 6th Where: Lied Center Music at 1:00p.m. Play featured at 3:00p.m. All-important dialogue on racism at 6:00p.m. Noted Panelists: Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan and Dr. John Janzen of the University of Kansas
Dr. John Janzen of the University of Kansas
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