1996 August by Sports Spectrum

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times ma kes th e good ti mes seem even sweeter. In thi s age of free-age ncy among players and city-hopping among teams, loyalty seems to be in short supply. Seldom do ND T HEN THERE WAS ONE. we see a player such as Alan Alan Trammell. Trammell sticking with one team Imag ine the things that for two decades. We admi re it are runnin g through hi s when we see it, and we hope head as this season of others will be imabsurd ba seball in pressed enough Detroit grinds along. to learn the secret In 1984, he was a to loyalty. key player on a team Loyalty comes many were calli ng one in all forms. of the best ever. Forty Michael Chang games into the season, (page 6) is loyal Trammell and his talto his yo ut hfu l ented fri ends Kirk commitments and Gibson, Lou Whitaker, to his fami ly as Lance Parri sh, and they barn storm Jack Morris were 35-5. A Unshakable. Like fellow loyalists Brooks Robinson the tennis circuit Eve ry ga me was an {23 years, Orioles) and Carl Yastrzemski (22 years, Red Sox), together. explosion of power Alan Trammell quietly and efficiently stands with his team Randy Johnson through good and bad. and grace as the team (page 16) stuck cruised unhindered to a division light moments or suffering the with the Ma ri ners when they ti tle, an America n League embarrassing ones. He continues were down, and now he enjoys pennant, and the World Series to contribute the same relentless the fruit of success. championship. Loyalt y is ju st one of the effort he did when the Tigers Trammell was surrounded by were burning so bri ghtly in honorable traits we look for in talent, and the Tigers were the 1984. It's not easy weari ng the athletes we fea ture in Sports class of baseball. orange and navy blue with dig- Spectm111. Loyal to team. Loyal to Twelve yea rs later, only nity in 1996 in front of all those family. But most important, loyal Trammell remains. empty seats. It's not easy getting to God. Gibb y ha s gone off to his Be on the lookout for loyalty beat by football-sized scores day in the sports world. It's a simple, farm north of town. Morris is after day. pitching for the St. Paul Saints. loyal act that reminds us what is It's not easy being loyal. Whitaker has retired to his famiYet it pays off. really important in sports ... and ly. Parrish was released this spring Imagine how good it feels to life. by the Pirates. be a Cleveland Indians fan who Yet Alan Trammell trudges sat through drear y ga mes at on. Now he's surrounded by a Municipal Stadium in the 70s, team that is one of the worst in yet now enjoys the crazy crowds baseball. Even with proven stars of champions hip-seeke rs at such as Cec il Fielder, Trav is Jacobs Field. The loyalty of fol- Dave Branon, managing editor Fryman, and Chad Curtis, their lowing a team through the bad Sports Spect/'11111

The Value ol Loyalty

cause is a sad, lost effort. Alan Trammell sits alone with his memories. He could be bitter. He could qu it. But he stays strong. He remains loyal. Throu ghout this season of hope lessness, Trammell has demonstrated the power of loyalt y. He is a Detro it Ti ger, whether he's savoring the high-

6 Holding Serve Tennis star Michael Chang's focus has remained the same since his career began by Christin Ditchfield

Bounty On The Mutiny Tampa Bay star Roy Lassiter found a way out of a dangerous lifestyle by Desmond Armstrong

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Playing Through

Open Court

Leaderboard

Off-the-course struggles have given Laurie Brower a new outlook by Scott Bordow

Ace returns from Sports Spectrum readers SS Fan Poll

Stanton Barrett by Bev Flynn Jay Yelas by Craig Massey

The Lee'd Story

TOM DIPACE

A closer look at Nick Hyder by Victor Lee

When Seattle ace Randy Johnson takes the hill, he has the hitters' respect ... and fear by Rob Bentz

Mister Big

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The Swirsky Report by Chuck Swirsky

The Real Deal

Front Row Taking You On The Scene For Show Jumping Rider Laura Casati has her ups and downs by Jennifer Elvgren

In APerfect World The sport world's not perfect, but if it were, here's what would happen By Rob Bentz

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Pulling Fo.. Brett We were saddened to hear that Brett Butler had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Mr. Butler has been one of our favorite Christian athletes. To the Butler famil y: Our prayers are with you all. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope·· (Jeremiah 29: I I , NKJV). May the Lord grant you His peace at this time. To Sports Spectrum: Would it be possible to put an update on Brett in your magazine-to keep us posted on how he's doing? We would appreciate that, since it"s rather hard at times to keep up with things like that over here in Senegal. Thanks again for your great magazine. l enjoyed the Apri l issue, which feat ured Ore! Hershiser and talked abo ut the '95 World Series, even though it wasn·t froma Bral'es' point of view~ - THE BRA/1'/SENS Senegal. West Africa

have enjoyed the m1icles. especial- ing, especially NASCAR, is one ly when they are about basketball of the most viewed sports, only and voll eyball . More recent ly, exceeded by professional football. however, I have become inter- 7VM ARMITAGE ested in more of a variety. Your Summer Games iss ue E-mail was a delight. I have been a BIG fan of David Robinson for a long We have some good news. This time. I also liked the articles about summ er we released a special the USA women basketball and NASCA R issue that is being disvolleyball players in that issue. tributed at races through the end I am a big fan of Ore! Hershiser of the year. If you would like to (April) and was thrilled to see nab a copy, ra ce over to your him retu rn to the World Series phone and call / -800-653-8333. last year. The NASCAR issue price is $2.00 My favorite, however, was the ; (shipping included). The cost per Ma y art icle featurin g Travis : copy is lower if you make a bulk Fryman. I have heard Travis speak purchase. -Ed. . before, and he is by far my fa vo rite baseball player. His SS Foruan dedication to his team is strong, but his dedication to his family Ne-w- Question is even stronger. I recently read The NFL- American footballan article about his decision to is growing in intern ational leave the team to be with his wife popul arity. What are your while she delivered their baby. thoughts on the NFL taking It is nice to see a man so dedicated the gridiron around the globe to his fami ly. with its worldwide franchise - RACHEL GRINDUNG expansion?

Durand, Ml E-mail

A T-w-ist Of Tate In the Ma y edit ion of Sports Spectmm , the article on Travis Fryman was fantastic~ Thank you ~ However, I was disappointed to see an error in the location of Tate High School. Travis did in fact attend and play baseball at Tate High School ... so did I. But it is located in Pensacola, Florida, not Lexington, Kentucky. We are very proud of Travis and his success, and we wou ld li ke the world to know where he calls home.

SS Lette:rs To send a letter to the editor or to voice an opinion about th e SS Forum question, write to: Sports Spectrum Letters Box 3566 Grand Rapids, Ml 49501-3566 Fax: 6/6-957-5741 Attention: SS Letters E-mail: ssmag@sport.org Subject: Open Court

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Thank s fo r the long-distance request. For an update on Brett, check out The Lee' d Story on page 5. -Ed.

Travis Terrific I subscribed to SS soon after it was created, and it has done nothing but get bett e r~ In the past I 4

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NASCAR On The Mind I believe there are many Clu·istian drivers on the NASCAR circuit. Ho w about including some of them in the magazine? Auto raeS P O RTS SPE C TRUM • AU G U S T 1 996

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Nick Hyder: A Coach For The Ages By Victor Lee

Missing Pe:rson

Conaing Back

....

High school football practice is beginning all over America, but nowhere is that annual rite carrying more emotion than in Valdosta, Georgia. In that southern Georgia city of 40,000, a man who should be the template for all high school head coaches in America won't be on the field. For the first time in 22 years, the Valdosta Wildcats will not be coached by Nick Hyder. Hyder died on May 16 at the age of 61, but you can be assured that his influence lives on in the hearts and lives of thousands of Valdosta High School players and fans. Hyder had no small influence. Just ask former player Johnny Crook. Tough Love

.& Positive impact. The legacy that Nick Hyder leaves behind is filled with wins, a positive influence, and changed lives.

it strictly on us." Two of the three accepted the challenge, and Hyder kept his end of the deal. Crook received a scholarship from Northeast Oklahoma State; the other young man got financial help to play football at Pittsburgh. Crook played 3 years, earned a degree, got married, and moved to Dallas, where as a police officer he deals with troubled young people every day. Hyder's "tough love" comes back to him daily. "I tell !kids) they should stop taking things for granted," he says. "I tell them they've got to make a choice to do what's right."

In 1985, Crook and two teammates showed up drunk at the annual spring football game. Later, Hyder called them into his office and informed them they would never wear a Wildcats uniform again. Crook didn't believe him. He was a preseason All-American, as was one of the other boys who got in trouble. The third was a preseason All-State selection. "I thought, 'He needs us. He'll change his mind,' " Crook says. Two weeks passed. Then three. Summer dragged on, and August came. Crook Man of Courage began to grasp the meaning of and Conviction "tough love." He realized that Crook's is one of hundreds of his only good option was to such stories. Nick Hyder was accept the challenge Coach had the kind of man who had made when he kicked him off enough courage to kick star the team. • players off the team for their "He told us, 'Work hard, own good. He would sacrifice continue playing some kind of wins for character if he had sport, stay out of trouble, and to. But Nick Hyder consistentI'll help you go to college,' " ly proved something else: You Crook says. "He said we had can do the right thing and to show him that we wanted win. His record at Valdosta to better ourselves. He said if was 302-48-5. That includes we did, we weren't going to seven state championships go by the wayside. He left and three national titles.

"Coach Hyder taught me that no matter how much fame you have or how big a name you have, you always have to look to the number one reason you have all of that--God," Crook says. "No matter how much it looked like he needed us, he had to discipline us." Hyder emphasized six priorities, and football barely made the list. He stressed God, family, community, academics, friends, and football. In that order. It's no wonder the stadium was packed at the funeral, where Hyder's body lay in state on the 50-yard line. Although his death came as a surprise to everyone-a heart attack in the school cafeteriaHyder had been preparing his boys for it for a long time. "He had prepared the kids that one day we're all going to die, and that they better be ready," says Bob Bolton, who had been with Hyder as an assistant coach all 22 years. "Nick Hyder had done a great job. He walked the Christian walk in front of these kids. After Nick died, every kid knew that Nick was with his Creator."

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On Saturday, Junel5, Bre" Butler had a celebration like none he had ever had before. It was his 39th birthday, and he had a few friends over to the house. Guys like John Smoltz, Greg McMichael, and 15 members of the LA Dodgers. Because of a serendipitous scheduling advantage, the Dodgers were in Atlanta, Butler's hometown, to play the Braves. With Butler recuperating from throat cancer surgery (July Sports Spectrum), it offered his friends from both teams a great opportunity to wish him well and celebrate another year of life. The value of life is all the more important to Butler now that he is living with the effects of cancer. And it seems that he has even learned to look ahead with anticipation as he faces radiation treatments and more time away from baseball. Butler's friend and spiritual mentor Tim Cash says, "Brett and his wife Eveline are in great spirits. Brett feels that God has fueled him to get him through this time." Two days after the party, Butler began 6 weeks of radiation treatments. That will be followed by a 3-week trip to Mexico for treatment with Laetril, a cancer-treating drug. After that, who knows? There will still be part of a baseball season left. Whether Butler has the energy to suit up again is uncertain, but his friends on the team hope so. They carry his uniform with them on road trips, waiting for the big comeback. Imagine the party they'll have then.

:a ~ 9

Victor Lee, who has covered the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins during his nearly 20 years in journalism, lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina. 5

By Christin Ditchfield

HEN MICHAEL CHANG first burst onto the tennis scene in 1987 as a IS-yearold pro, no one was quite sure what to make of him. Clearl y he had great tal ent and promise. That much was evident to all who saw him play. But then he started talking about hi s hi gh ideal s. He unabashedly spoke of his love for his family, the importance of his faith in God, and his belief in biblical values and specific moral standards. Some of Chang's criti cs were amused-after all, he seemed a bit young to be mak in g such pronouncements. Others were openly disdainful. "Sure, kid! Give it a few years! Wait till you've lived a little, and see how you feel then!" It wasn't long before Chang established his presence among the best in tennis. He had been on the pro tour little more than a year when, at 17, he stunned the world by upsetting tennis greats Ivan Lend! and Stefan Edberg on the way to his first Grand Slam title-the 1989 French Open. His name was entered in the history books as the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam event. ··11 came much earl ier tha11 we' d ever dreamed," says Chang. ·T he l as t fo ur matches in part i cul ar were just played on inspirat ion. I never expected it, and I don' t think the tennis worl d or anyone else expected it. But the Lord has His

way of working things." As he received the winner's trophy at the French Open, Chang addressed the crowd of more than 60,000 at Roland Garros, thanking everyone who had played a part in his success. He concluded by thanking Jesus Christ, saying, "Without Him, I' m nothing!" Along with the cheers came boos and whistles. TV commentators, coaches, and even other pl ayers crit i cized hi m for "dragging his reli gion into everything." They advi sed him to keep his personal beliefs to himself. But Chang was unfazed by the response. He con tinued to speak about his faith at every opportunity, giving God the glory for hi s success. It's what he said he would do when he began his career, and there was no reason to stop now. "I've just received so much joy, so much love, and so many blessings from the Lord," he explains. ''When something good happens to you, you want to share it with people!" Plenty of good things have come Michael' s way. In his 9 years as a pro. he has captured 23 tournament titles and earned more than 12 million dollars in prize money. A model of consistency, he has held a Top I 0 ranking for 5 of those 9 years. In fact, in 1995 Chang finished in th e Top 10 in th e ATP rankings for the fourth consecutive year. joining Goran l vanisevic and

SPORTS SPECTRUM • AUGUST 1996

HOLDING

The Business Of Being R

Role Mo~el

Being a professional athlete has its benefits and rewards, but it also has its responsibilities. Many athletes enjoy the fame, fortune, and adoration of the fans, but resent the "invasion of privacy'' those things bring. Some prominent sports figures have demanded that they be judged solely on their athletic achievements, insisting, "What I do in my private life is my own business!" Inevitably, someone reminds them that children are watching and patterning their lives after their sports heroes. Being a professional athlete means being a role model, like it or not. While some athletes refuse the responsibility and some grudgingly accept it, Michael Chang embraces it. "Tennis is a high-profile sport," he observes. "It's covered by the press, it's on TV, and there are events all around the world. I realize that I have a wonderful opportunity to touch people's lives, particularly kids growing up." Chang goes out of his way to reach out to his young fans. He patiently signs autographs and answers their questions; he participates in a variety of special charities and youth-oriented programs. And given the opportunity, Michael always points them to the one thing that has had the greatest impact on his life: having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Says Chang, "If I'm able to draw people to the Lord, then they'll always have that joy and that love for Him!" - Christin Ditchfield

SERVE

Pete Sampras as the onl y players to achieve that feat. Having achieved a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world, he is not far from the No. I spot. In 1995, he reached the finals of the ATP World Championships for the first time. He defeated the top two seeds, Thomas Muster and Pete Sampras, before losing to Boris Becker 7-6(3), 6-0, 7-6(5) in the title match. Although he has yet to win a Grand Slam event since his French Open victory, Chang is always a serious contender. Last year he reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, the finals of the French, and the quarterfi nals of the US Open. This past January , he improved his performance at the Australian by reaching the finals, where he lost again to Becker in a tough four-setter, 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. He then won his first championship of the year- the Newsweek Champions Cup at Indian Wells, California. It's not just talent that keeps Chang edging near the top of the tennis world. It's his talent combined with his tireless and persistent competiti ve spirit. As Edberg has said, "Chang never, ever gives up." Referring to his intensity and his amazing ability to get to and return "impossible" shots, one tennis pundit called Chang "the most exciting player since Jimmy Connors." Another concluded, "Jim Courier speaks for all the pros when he says, 'You have to play your best tennis to beat him.' " Early in Chang's career, the media routinely characterized his matches with allusions to the biblical struggle between David and Goliath . At 5' 9" and 150 pounds, Chang appears to be at a disadvantage in a game in which size usuall y equals power. He constantly faces the threat of being outgunned and overpowered by bigger, taller players. But with guts and determination, he has earned his place among the world's best, work-

...... Setting the tone. Just a kid when he turned pro, Michael has grown Into a vital role model for youngsters. B

COURTESY: AMÂŁRICA14 UBAARY ASSOCtATlOU

ing hard to turn his weaknesses into strengths. Chang says tennis is "a thinking man's game," and it shows in the way he strategically conquers his opponents. More than any other player on the tour, Chang is able to change and adapt his game plan to tit the situation, allowing him to find a way to win. His speed and agility on the court make up for what he lacks in height, and his serve-once a liability-has now become a weapon. He finished 1995 at No. 13 in aces, averaging six per match. And he continues to improve. "There's nothing in my game that's so solid that I don't need to work on it," he says. "I'm just continuing to solidify everything. It's difficult to always be playing your best tennis, but you want to be able to rely on those shots when you really need them." One of the fittest players on the Tour, Chang spends hours practicing on the court and working out in the gym. Yet he has discovered that there' s more to fitness than exercise. "You work hard on physical conditioning, but you also take time to rest. Both play an important role," he says. "Working hard every single day is roo hard. It just drains me. I always try to take at least one day offor if I've been on a long trip, a few days off. For me, rest is just as important as hard work, because it refreshes my body. Then I'm up and ready to go, feeling good instead of just dragging along." Finding that balance in physical conditioning is, for a professional athlete, a key ingredient to success. For Michael, his spiritual conditioning is even more crucial. "I do a Bible study first thing in the morning and also at night. Th roughout the day, I' ll pray-w heneverbecause the Lord is always there. He teaches me a lot through circumstances in my li fe, whether it's through a tennis match or some other thing that's goi ng on," says Chang. "Trying to stay close to the Lord can be very difficult to do by yourself, so you ask the Lord to help you. You ask Him to be your first love and your first priority. Life will have its ups and downs, but regardless of what's happening in our li ves, if we're focusing on Him, we'll have the joy that He gives us." Chang's family helps him keep that focus by providing him with invaluable spiritual support and encouragement. Michael is often joined on the Tour by his

S P O RTS SPECTRUM â&#x20AC;˘ AU G U S T 1 996

HO LDIN G

.&. Power player. Through hard work and discipline, Michael Chang has added to his strong return game a powerful serve, which has been clocked at 124 miles per hour.

parents Joe and Betty, his older brother and coach Carl, and Carl 's wife Diana. "We sometimes have our own Bible studies together, and we sit down as a family to pray before each match," Michael says. It has been said that the famil y that prays together stays together, and at a time when so many families are disintegrating under the pressures and demands of popular culture, the Changs are an obvious exception. Their close-knit famil y is built on faith, love, and selflessness. "I have a lot of admiration for my family, particularly my parents," says Michael. "My dad was the one who started us off in tennis and really took the time to teach us and coach us. Then, when I first turned pro, my mom traveled with me fulltime. It was an incredible sacri fice for both of them to more or less not see each other for 4 years. There has been a lot of sacrifice, a lot of love-not only in the way they' ve done things for us, but also in their own relationship." Reflecting on his parents' example, Michael says, "I hope that as I get married and have kids, I'll be able to do things just as well!" Not everyone understands the love and commitment to one another that the Changs have. Some in the tennis community have been critical of the closeness of the family's relationship, describing it as "smothering" or "overprotective." But Michael believes his family provides him with much-needed stability and perspecti ve-things conspicuously absent in the lives of some of his peers on the Tour. With the help of his family, Chang has avoided many of the problems and pitfalls that inevitably plague "superstar" athletes. "My famil y's there with me, almost on a day-in, dayout basis, so they know the things that go on in my life and where I am. Sometimes they see things I don't," he says. "We just work at things constantl y to prepare better, to have the right focus and the right attitude, and to give everything to the Lord." In the world of professional sports, where athletes often grab more headlines for their outrageous behavior

S E R V E

than for their athletic prowess, Chang refuses to conform. Going against the flow, he patiently and consistently li ves out the faith he professes. "If I get off track, the Lord always puts me back," says Chang. "I' ve been fortun ate in th at I became a Christian the first year I was on the Tour. Before all the fame and money, the Lord was there teaching me His way first. The wonderful thing is that I look back at my life and I can see that even when I wasn' t a Christian, He was looking out for me. Now I' m just constantly trying to surrender myself to the Lord, so the Holy Spirit can do His work through me." To Michael, that means making a difference in the lives of others. One way he touches lives is through his Tennis Stars of the Future program in Hong Kong. Since 1992, the program has provided equipment and coaching to more than 3,000 children- many of them underprivileged. "When I go over to Hong Kong to play a tournament, I take some time to go out and hit balls with the kids and try to encourage them, and give them an oppm1unity to play the sport. It' s great to see them smiling and having a good time." Chang also helps in a suicide prevention program sponsored by th e Hong Kong Department of Education. In 1994, he served as chairman of ATP Tour Charities, visiting pediatric wards and speaking to youth groups and at sports camps. Along with several other pros, he participated in exhibition matches to benefit the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. Just prior to the 1995 French Open, Chang hosted the ATP's Smash Tennis festi val in Paris. He spent hours hitting balls with young fans, signing posters and T-shirts, and answering their questions about life on the Tour. Not surprisingly, many of Michael's most ardent fans are from the younger generation. And they have a fan in him. "I love kids!" he says. "They always hold a special place in my heart. They're innocent and enthusiastic and easy to talk to." Whenever he gets a chance to talk to children, Chang reminds them to work hard in school. Emphasizing the importance of a good education, he has set up the Chang Family Tennis Scholarship Fund at the Uni versity of California- Berkeley (Carl ' s alma mater). Michael says he plans to attend college himself when he retires from competitive tennis. With his game getting better and better, it may be a while before he trades in his racquet for a textbook. At 15, Chang entered the tennis scene full of promise and principles. Nine years later, his accomplishmentsboth on and off the court-speak for themselves. Even his critics have to admit that Michael Chang is a man who practices what he preaches. In this day and age, that makes him a rare, valuable commodity in professional sports. D

The schedule of the pro Tour can be pretty hectic, but Michael Chang always finds time to assist those in need. Whether it's participating in an exhibition match to raise money for earthquake victims in Kobe, Japan, or visiting terminally ill children in hospitals, Chang makes giving a priority. He even stopped by Sesame Street to help Big Bird tie his shoes! "It was a lot of fun," laughs Michael. when

""''.&. Tennis shoes anyone? TElEVIStOfl WORKSHOP

Stepping onto the set at Sesame Street has given Michael a real tie with kids.

asked about his visit to the studios of the Children's Television Workshop in New York. "It's pretty interesting with all the different scenes. You ca n actually go underneath the set and come up out of Oscar's trash can and stuff like that. It was great." When Big Bird wanted to know how to become a ten nis champion, Chang told him, "You've gotta do three things: practice, practice, and practice some more!" -Christin Ditchfield

Christin Ditchfie/d is a f reelance writer IVho lives in Sarasota, Florida.

SPORTS SPEC T R UM â&#x20AC;˘ A U G U ST 1 996

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• Keeping Score oflihscinating #hct;s and 'Lerri Compiled by Rob Bentz

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M ... Pwesident Ain't M ... Stanley

When the Detroit Red Wings were ousted by the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, it continued a recent string of dissing the President. The President's Trophy, that is. In 6 of the last 7 years, the winner of the President's Trophy (given to the team with the best regular-season record) has failed to win the Stanley Cup. The only team since 1990 to win both was the New York Rangers. Here's a rundown of the recent President's Trophy winners that fell short as they tried to capture Lord Stanley's Cup. Year 1995·96 1994·95 1992·93 1991·92 1990·91 1989·90

• The Moaoris Code More heroes should be made of the stuff of Warren Morris. Despite hitting the most dramatic home run in College World Series history, Warren Morris didn't become a bragging boor, flexing his mus<;les and trying to convince us he's superh uman. In fact, he said of his two-outs-inthe-bottom-of-the-9th-in ning, 2run home run against Miami that lifted the LSU Tigers to the

President's Trophy Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers Chicago Blackhawks Boston Bruins

NCAA championship, "I didn't think I could hit it that far." He did, though, and the Tigers won 9-8. Here are a few facts about the remarkable blast: .,. It was Morris' first home run of the season . .,. He was the Tigers' number nine hitter. .,. He missed 40 games with a wrist injury. .,. LSU was 21-0 in games Morris started.

• st..ange But Taoue ~ This past NHL playoff season was the first since 1974 in which no Canadian team made it into the second rou nd of the Stanley Cup playoffs. ~ On April 27, the Los Angeles Dodgers set the modern major league record for consecutive games started by a right-handed pitcher. The Dodgers set the record when manager Tommy Lasorda sent rightie Tom Candiotti to the hill against the Chicago Cubs. That marked the 454th straight game started by a Dodger right-hander. ~ In tennis, a "pusher" is a player who returns everything with a soft, looping stroke. This is done by a person who hopes to wear down an opponent while waiti ng for that person to lose his or her cool. ~ When Buddy Lazier won the Indianapolis 500 th is spring, it was .6. Lazier gun. An Olympic ski the first win for Firestone tires at racing hopeful, Buddy Lazier is quick on flat surfaces too. the Brickyard since 197 1. 10

Stanley Cup Colorado Avalanche New Jersey Devils Montreal Canadiens Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins Edmonton Oilers

• The Long and Longe.. oflt When New York Mets starting pitcher Jason Isringhausen took the mound, he never had to worry about being out-lettered. Until th is season. anyway. On Wednesday, May 29, lsringhausen started for the Mets while William VanLandingham got the call for the Giants. The Mets' starter was met with a giantsized truth. His last name just didn' t measure up. VanLandingham had him beat by one letter, 13- 12. One measure of solace for Isringhausen- if you add the two names together, you find that the young pitchers now share the major league record for the longest names for two starting pitchers in one game. It ' s been more than 50 years since opposing hurlers had that many letters between them. The 1944 box score of a Pittsburgh-Philadelphia match-up shows that the two clubs pitted starters Fritz Ostermueller and Ken Reffensberger for the league's only other 25-letter pitching duel.

SPORTS SPECTRU M • A U G UST ·1 996

• All-NBA Fili'St Picks When the NBA announced the 1995-96 AII-NBA teams, there was an interesting twist. Only one member of each of the three AIINBA teams had the distinction of being the first pick in the NBA Draft. And all three were centers. • Spurs center David Robinson was honored as the 1995-96 AIINBA first-team center. He was the first pick in the 1987 NBA draft. • Hakeem Olajuwon was named the second-team center. He was the first pick in the 1984 NBA draft. • Shaquille O'Neal was tabbed the AII-NBA third-team center. He was the first selection in the 1992 NBAdraft. None of the other players selected to the AII-NBA teams were chosen higher than third in the NBA Draft.

• ouotebox Former majo r league All-Star John Kruk on why he le ft the ga me when he still had the a bility to continue: "It wasn't fun anymore. Too many people were too friendly and·too happy."

Trivia frona the "World of Sports

• The SwiraJq Beporto Q:

... •

Did Hall of Fame coach Bud Wilkinson ever play college football? Chuck: Wilkinson played for the 1936 Wationa1 Champion Minnesota Golden Gophers. But it was with his coaching that Wilkinson really made his mark. He won national titles with the Oklahoma Sooners in 1950, 1955, and 1956. His teams had winning streaks of 47 (1953-57) and 31 (1 94850) games. In the late 1970s, Wilkinson joined the NFL coaching fraternity and guided the St. Louis Cardinals for two seasons. With the Cards1 Wilkinson compiled a 9-20 mark. Wilkinson died at the age of 77 on February 9, 1994.

..A. Sr. vs. Jr. Ken Griffey: 19 sea-

sons-152 home runs. Junior: 8 seasons-200-plus home runs.

• Junior Po...ver Ken Griffey Jr. is a special player. Need proof? Check out yet another example of how the Mariners· young outtielder has placed his name among baseball 's all-time greats. Earlier this season, the talented slugger became the seventh youngest player to reach the 200 career home run plateau. Junior's 200th came on a 3-run shot in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox on May 2 1. Many major league players hit 200 home runs in their careers, but few have done it more quickly than the Mariners' superstar. Take a look at how Jun ior stacks up among the I 0 youngest players who hit 200 homers. Of the ten youngest only Orlando Cepeda (besides Griffey) is not in the Hall of Fame.

Who was the first MVP of the old American Basketball Association? Chuck: In 1967, this expansion league was formed to compete with the 20-year-old NBA. One of the ABA teams was the Pittsburgh Pipers, , who picked up 6 ' 8 " Connie Hawkins. Previously, Hawkins had played for the Pittsburgh Rens of the old American Basketball League and for the Harlem Globetrotters. With the Pipers, Hawkins Jed the league in scoring with 28.6 points per game using the ABA's red, white, and blue balland won the league's first MVPaward.

Mel Ott ................ 25 years, 144 days Eddie Mathews .... 25 years, 242 days Jimmie F1lKX .......... 25 years, 266 days Mickey Mantle ...... 25 years, 279 days Frank Robinson ....25 years, 360 days Hank Aaron ..........26 years, 148 days Ken Griffey Jr.......26 years, 181 days Johnny Bench ......26 years, 242 days Orlando Cepeda ....26 years, 276 days Willie Mays ..........27 years, 17 days

Who holds the scoring record for a single game in the NCAA Men's Division I college basketball tournament? Chuck: Austin Carr of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish lit it up against Ohio University for 61 points in a first-round game back in 1970. Carr had

-==------1 1

25 field goals and 11 free throws in the contest. In seering 61 points, Carr broke the old record of 58 set by Bill Bradley of Princeton in 1965.

Q•

• When was the last time the college football All· Stars played the NFL champs in the Chicago All-Star Game? Chuck: You must be a true football fan! You have to go back to Soldier Field in 1976 for the last game in this series, which began in 1934. On July 23, 1976, the Steelers beat the collegians 24-0. A bizarre twist to this final game came in the third quarter when a major thunderstorm turned the field into a swimming pool. The game was called, and the series was brought to a soggy conclusion. With so many potential millionaires playing in a meaningless game, there was always the fear of a careerending injury. The simplest solution was to call the series off, making the rain-shortened 1976 contest the last one.

I 've seen Brett Hull play many games for the Blues, but I never saw his father, Bobby, perform. What did I miss? Chuck: Plenty. They called him the Golden Jet, and for good reason. An outstanding skater and a wicked slapshot artist, Hull was a terror on the ice. He led the NHL in scoring three times (1960,

CHUCK SWIRSKY;--host of Sports Spectrum radio, is the sports director at WJR radio in Detroit. 1962, 1966) and was a twotime MVP (1965, 1966). He was also a first-team All-Star 10 times. In 1972, he sent shock waves through the sports world when he jumped from the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks to the new World Hockey Association, where he was a two-time league MVP as a member of the Winnipeg Jets . In his combined career in the NHL and WHA, Hull recorded 9 13 goals and 1,808 points.

Inquiring Minds If you want to know the answer to your sports toughie, send it to The Swirsky Report, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501.

Sports, Saturday, & Swirsky Have you caught Chuck on the radio yet? Why not set aside this Saturday as the day you make sure you do. Tune in to hear Chuck Swirsky on Sports Spectrum radio at noon Eastern time every Saturday. To find out where you can hear the program, call 1·800·653·8333. Sports. Saturday. Swirsky. It's Super!

SPORTS SPECTRUM • A U G U S T 1 996

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The

Bad choices sank the Mutiny's Roy Lassiter, until he saw something in his mother that gave him hope

By Desmond Armstrong 12

the sleek, speedy striker who carried the nick name "Grasshopper" when he entered hi s first US National Team traini ng camp in Febmary 1992 at the age of 22. Roy Lassi ter thought this was his ti me to show the world just how "bad" a soccer player he reall y was. "I was the typical arrogant soccer player who was excited about the opportunity to play with the US National Team," Lassiter says. "To make that team meant everything to me. Obviously, I didn't have God in my life at the time." He didn ' t have God, and because of one brief moment during a training session, he no longer had a chance with the National Team. Lassiter was tackled from behind during practice and suffered a broken left an kl e. He got the usual fa rewell comments: "Let us know how your rehabilitation is going, and once you're read y, we' ll call you back in." He left disappointed. There would be more setbacks. For instance, his father left his mother while Roy was in training camp. Suddenly, what had appeared to be a fast start to stardom became a shift back to obscurity. It took Roy 3 months to recover from the broken ankJe, but as he recuperated his focus in life became blu1Ted. "I was discouraged and didn't handle my situation well," he says. "My father was gone. My brother was off at school, and my mother was faced with the pressures of mnning the

house alone. I had no job and no stabi lity. I was just sittin g at home, lost and upset with the world." As he sat and allowed the hu rt to fester into anger, Roy decided to take matters into his own hands. "I figured I had nowhere to go, so I'll just do what I like." He embarked on a short career as a party personal it y. No matter where the party, Roy was present and ready to drink. To fuel his discontentment, he moved from constant partying to breaking-and-entering. When his ankle healed, however, soccer came back into his life. But this time the opportunity was not with the National Team. It was with a professional team in Costa Rica. He leaped at the chance, thin king that th is move would allow him to leave some bad th ings behind. Obscurit y seemed more appealing than stardom. Roy Lassiter would spend the next 3 years in Costa Rica, playing soccer and running from his past.

EAN AND GREEN characterized

THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE "The ball is sem down the left flank. It's a first-timed cross to the 6-yard box. A US player streaks to the near post, and GOALLLL!!!" It was the summer of 1995, and the US National Team was competing in the Parmalat Cup at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Lassiter was the US player who streaked to the near post and scored the goal against Benfica. He had burst back on the scene a changed man. For one thing, he had returned to the US as the leading goal

SPORT SSPECTRUMâ&#x20AC;˘ A U G U S T 199G

scorer of the Costa Rica League. But more important, he had been saved by his faith in Jesus. During his 3-year absence, Lassiter had come to know Jesus as his Savior, largely through observing his mother's commitment to the Lord. "I saw that her bad situat ion became better, and I wanted to know how," Lassiter says. "I came back home in November 1995 to visit and ended up attending church with her and my brother. My brother had also commilled his li fe to Jesus by this time. The change in both of their lives compelled me to look at mine. I was in church with them when the Holy Spirit convicted me, and I received Jesus as my Savior." Roy Lassiter was a changed man, but he sti ll had to face his past. Just as abruptly as the goal was scored for the National Team, his past returned to tackle him. Every TV station and newspaper in the country cruTied the news of Lassiter's goal and the National Team's eventual victory. The next day the police were at his house, ready to anest him for his involvement in a breaking-and-entering case from 3 years earlier. This time obscurity could not be found. But this time it was not needed. "I cried with my mother and I cried out to God, 'Why this now, Lord? Why me? Things were going so well.' "My mother then said, 'Don't be scared. You can face this with God.' That's exactly what I did." Roy was sentenced to 30 days in jail plus 200 hours of community service. While servin g his jail sentence, Lassiter took courage fro m the story of th e New Testament's apostle Paul, who also spent some time in jail. "I thought of the suffering he went through for the sake of following Chri st. I also thought of the suffering Jesus endured for me. It gave me strength knowing that my past would finally be put behind me."

WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT Roy is still a member of the National Team, but he has joined sti ll another quest. He wants to help his newest team, the Tampa Bay Mutin y of Major League Soccer, win the first MLS championshi p. Well into the season, the Mutiny was in first place, and Roy was one of the team's leadi ng scorers. "One of my goals is to become the leadi ng goal scorer for the entire league. This would bring greater ex posure to God's presence with in me," Lassiter says. "Each time I score I lift my hands to Jesus to give Him all the praise and glory." To fulfill his requirement of 200 hours of community service, Roy has arranged to work with a youth organization called The Soccer Academy of Tampa. He doesn' t want his life for the Lord to be confined to the soccer field on game day. "I want to impress upon young kids of all races how to carry themselves- on and off the field. If they look up to me and I am praising God, then they should also praise God. I hope they understand through my actions that God is the most important." Will his message be tainted because of the errors of his past? Lassiter thinks about that question, knowing that some people don' t forg et eas il y. Yet he beli eves he knows th e answer. " If Go d ca n give me another chance, why can' t the public also?"

.A The Green Wave. Lassiter gets engu lfed by teammates after scoring yet another goal. In his first 10 games, Roy was Tampa's leading scorer with 7 goals and 15 points. (Bottom) A National again. Roy has fought off more than on-field competition to make it back as a member of the US National Team.

Desmond Armstrong, a fo rmer member of th e US National Team, li ves with his famil y in Waxhaw, North Carolina. S P O R TS S P ECTRUM â&#x20AC;˘ A U G U S T 1 996

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•••••••••••••••••••••••••• ••

• Athletes Who Lead By Example Stanton Ba....ett • The Tiger With a Tender Heart WHEN STANTON BARRETT gets behind the wheel, he's running at high speeds with the engine growling-but that doesn't mean there's a pace car. Sure, his goal on the Busch Grand National circuit is to claw through the pack without getting a scratch on his car, but usuall y when Stanton jumps into the dri ver's seat it's to do exactly the opposite. And as Barrett wrec ks hi s wheels, he doesn' t see a yellow tlag. He heru·s, "CUT!" Besides being a professional NASCA R and IMSA racecar dri ve r, Stanton Bar rett is a

is not a tough guy with a heart of stone; he is a true man. He has a great relationship with both of his parents and expresses a genuine concern for others. "I have great parents, and my relationship with them is reall y good," he says, then adds, '·My dad and !-we're like best friends. 90210. We've built a house together. Stanton is the son of We take care of each other, world-famous snmtman Stan "I was tired of being we clean house together, we Barrett , who doubled for like everyone else. cook together, we have the actors such as Paul Newman I wanted to seek God same friends." and Burt Reynold s, and Stanton and his father also and be different." world-class skier Penn y have something else in comMcCoy. Stanton's athl eticism is extraordinary. There's not when he was about 15 years old. mon: a personal relationship with much that the 23-year-old can' t Barrett adds, "I fi gured I might Jes us Chri st. But the youn ger Barrett willingly confesses th at do. One of his references, Paul as well get paid fo r what I did he's struggled with being what the New man , describes the yo ung every day anyhow." Lord wants him to be. "I was tired But of his activities, Barrett man as "fierce." Barrett learned the skills of a likes racing the best. And he's of being like everyo ne else. I set so me definite wanted to seek God and be differgoals. "I guess I' m ent-differem in a good way, a not concerned about way that very few people are. And anything except get- I knew I could do that with God's help," Stanton explains. ting our Busch proBut a young. single man can gra m toge th er and eventuall y going on face temptati on when he"s alone to Winston Cup and on the road. For Barrett, there's a two-part remedy. " lf you know making that successyou can be tempted by it, don' t put ful. I don ' t do anyyo urself in that sit uation. And thing [else] until I ju st pray a lot and ask for I' ve been a success, then I can move on," strength to overcome temptation when it appears." he says. Along with the change in hi s Stanton has also noted what he sees life, Ban·ett has developed a heart for others and deep concern that as a challenge and poss ibl y hi s nex t they realize their spiritual need. ·'J think the thing that bothers me move after success in Winston Cu p: "The most is the time when somebody general mentality of is in great need or desperati on. Even if people don't believe, they th e Europeans and IndyCar people is that always pray to God ," Stanton NASCAR people are points out. "Why would they pray just rednecks. They unless they really believe in a God onl y know how to and know there's a God? [They dri ve those big stock need to] consider that." A tough, yet sensitive guy. Paul cars. They can't dri ve a sophi sti cated car, Newman refers to him as "a gentleman." He's a tiger with a tender but that's not true." heart. Courage. Tenacity. - Bev Flynn Defini tely no wimp. But Stanton BruTett Holl ywood stuntman. A member of SAG (Screen Actors Guild), his credits include a speaking part in Baywatch, stunt work in such movies as Last of the Mohicans and Jwnanji, and a part as stunt double for Jason Priestley in the popular TV series Beverly Hills,

stuntman as he was growing up. " [! learned] all the sports stuff because I did so much of it and I grew up aroun d it. And then there's all th e other non sports stuff that creates the stunts. My dad 's shown me how to ri g or do that stuff," explains Stanton. He got his first paying stunt job

S P O RTSS P ECTRUM• A U G U ST 1996

JayYelas • No Longe r Hooked On Winning 1994-95 FISHI NG SEASON belonged to Mark Davi s, Jay • Yelas couldn' t be far behind. Davis took top honors last year by winning both the BASS MASTERS Classic and the Angler of the Year title. But look at what Yelas accomplished. He was the 1995 BASSMASTER Super Stars victor and the top money winner-pulling together • one of the most finan ciall y rewarding years ever experienced by a pro angler. Yelas fished all 14 of the regular season tourn aments, finishing 12th or beller in 10 of the 14 events. No one had ever done that before. However, he failed to earn a payJay also began attending To those who've paid close check at the next two pro events, Fellowship of Christian Anglers' finis hing 105th at the Alabama Society (FOCAS) mee tings, attention to past To ur results, Yelas' 1994-1995 season wasn' t Invitational on Lake Eufaula and where he met men who had a surprise. The Texan has quali52nd at the Top I00 Pro-Am on found happiness and fu lfillment fied for the BASS MASTERS Lake Seminole. in a personal relationship wi th Classic championshi p six of his By February 1993, Yelas' tourJesus Christ. seven seasons. He has fi nished nament fishing was at an extreme At the same time, Jay's wife, IOth or be11er in 32 percent of the low. During the Eu fa ta and Jill, was in the process of renewTour events he has fished, and he Seminole tournaments, the young ing her commitment to Jesus. She has fi nished in the money 65 perangler blanked four out of the began to pray for her struggling cent ofthetime. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - husband . Within a few Although Yelas is "I read books on Eastern days, Yelas decided that a spiritual decisio n was recognized as one of the religions, and I was mo re important th an most versatile and consistent anglers on the Tour, heavily into the New anyt hing he could do on his stay at the top of the Age Movement--all in the lake. tournament trail has n' t an effort to make myself "I was exhausted from always bee n glorious. trying to accomplish my Midway through the 1992the very best angler." goals and meet my expec1993 season, Yelas began rations. So I prayed and to experience a serious fi shing seven competition days. Yelas sat gave everything in my life over in his hotel room, discouraged to Jesus Christ," Yet as says. slump. "I was stagnating and lost," and frustra ted by his perfor"From that day on, I began to reveals Yelas. "I fe lt I wasn ' t impro vi ng or li vi ng up to my mances. "Up to that point in my seek Him diligently." potential. I was getting worse." career I did everything I could do Almost im mediately , re lief Early in that season, Yelas fi nto imitate the top pros, mimicking from his self-imposed burden to what they did," confesses Yelas. succeed began to pay off. ished I 02nd at the Oklahoma Invitational. Yelas' comeback at "I read various books on Eastern Following his change of focus religions, and I was heavily into and purpose, Yelas ree led off the next tou rnament, a 14th-place the New Age Movement- all in fiv e straight top-six finishes, finish at the Top 100 Pro-Am at Lake Lanier, gave the appearance an effort to make myself the very including a win at the Maryland th at nothin g was wrong. best angler." Pro-Am on the Potomac River. JF T HE

S P O RT S S P E CTRUM· A U G U S T 1 9 96

'The difference was my change of focus," says Yelas. "I went from the need to wi n at all cos t, to keepin g my sig hts on the cross and my walk with the Lord. When I had a rough day, I remembered I T hessa lon ian s 5:16-18 ["Be joyfu I atways; pray conti nuall y; give thanks in all circ um sta nces" ]. Often when you have a bad day it's easy to ge t ••Ul cmADA down on yourself and lose your joy. This is the las t thing you wan t to happen, because it rende rs yo u less effective. "Everyone has bad to urn aments," notes Yelas. "Nobody catches fish all the time. I know that I grow the most as a Christian when I don't do well at a tournamen t, because there is something to learn from each failure. Christ has realigned my priorities in my life. My first priority is my walk with Christ, followed by my fami ly. My tournament fis hin g has been moved back to third on my list." Yelas continues to face tough rimes on the to urnament trail. When compared to his 1994-95 season, his performance this season (fini shin g 12 or better in onl y 4 of 13 events) has been less than spectacular. But Yelas insi sts on keeping hi s tournament results in perspective. "My walk wi th my Lord is more important to me than bass tournament s," he says. " I never thought anythi ng could be more important than winning tourn aments. But Christ is." -Paul Cmlada 15

have to hit a moving target. It would be embarrassing to die on national TV." Imagine stepping into the box just 60 feet, 6 inches from the game's hardestthrowing, most intimidating hurler. Facing the long, lanky, lean, and sometimes loose lefty isn't exactly a walk in a roadside park-it's more like a night-time stroll through Central Park. "He's a very intimidating person," says Brewers slugger Dave Nilsson after a long sigh. "When you step in the box against him, you know you have to be at your best. Everything really has to

Johnson is the first pitcher in history to post fi ve consecutive seasons averaging 10-plus K's per 9 innings. But statistics don't tell the complete story of his dominance. The respect Johnson has from his competitors fi lls in the details. They voted him as the pitcher with the "best fastball" and "best slider" in the game today, according to a Baseball America poll. "He's got a great slider, and his fastball just seems to explode," says Paul Sorrento, Johnson's first-year teammate and former Cleveland Indian . "There are some other hard throwers in the league, but none of them compare to Randy. It's not even close!" Why is the 32-year-old southpaw so dominant? Yes, he has awe-inspiring stuff. And yes, he has a warrior-like competitive spirit. But combine those things with the third and most important aspect of his life, and you've found the secret to his success-Randy Johnson is a follower of Jesus Christ. "About 3 years ago, I had a traumatic experience in my life-my dad passed away," explains Randy with a photo-

about his pitching. Ask him a question, and get out of the way-Randy's got plenty to say! Ask him about the notion that Christian athletes are soft. He replies with passion, "The Christian athlete is misconstrued as being like an ostrich. When things get tough, they bury their head in the sand. "I would confront any fan or professional athlete to say that to me, because that hasn't been me in the last 3 years. "There have been several times in the last 3 years where l could have been soft and been that ostrich burying my head in the sand because the going got tough. I got through those situations because I bel ieved that the Lord wou ld get me through them, and because I dedicated myself to doing the things I needed to do to be the best. That's one way I can glorify the Lord." Johnson's performance in 1995 was cer-

.A. Not-so-fond

memories. For Kruk, the thought of facing Johnson again while playing for the White Sox in '95 prompted some ugly memories of his near-fatal All-Star encounter in '93.

~--...

TOM Dlf'ACE

• He shoots strikes and pictures. Besides being the game's most intimidating strikeout pitcher, Johnson also happens to be a superb photographer. His work appeared in the Art Expo '90 in Los Angeles, and was used on a calender to raise f unds to feed the homeless in Seattle.

come together for you to be successfu l against him .'· That rarely happens. Not just in Nilsson's case, but for the entire league. No matter what stati stical formula is used to calculate effectiveness, Johnson is simply the best pitcher in the American League: >-Wins. Over the last 3 seasons nobody in the American League has won more. Johnson has 50 wins. >-Eamed Run Average. Randy's 3-year ERA is 2.97. tops in the American League. >-Strikeouts. Nobody in the American League even comes close. He's racked up an unbelievable 806 K's in 3 years! Dominant? Cal ifo rni a starter Chuck Fin ley is second with 530 stri keouts in the same time frame. In this decade. no pitcher in either league has sent more men dragging their lumber back to the dugout as often as Johnson. He has rung up 1.469 battersleaving a healthy distance between Johnson and second place strikeout artist David Cone with I,249 K's.

graph of his father atop his locker. "I was on the brink of becoming a Christi an anyway. but when my dad passed away I finally made the vow to the Lord that He could have my life, and r would glorify Him on and off the field. ·'In the last 3 years. I have had more heart and more desire, and I feel that's a direct refl ection of my Christian beliefs and lifestyle." Glance at the last 3 years of his career. and who can argue? Johnson's game has risen to another level. From good to great. From tough to nearly unhittable. From simply a thrower with good stuff to a pitcher with total command of his repertoire. "He was tough a couple of years ago when he really didn 't have command of hi s pi tches," explains Sorrento. "Now he's really got control of the strike zone. It's scary." The improvement in Johnson's game is no mistake. When Randy made a dramatic change in his life, his game changed too-for the better. When Randy's dad died, the big lefty evaluated his life. He knew what was missing and what he needed. "Someti mes people need to go through a traumatic experience to turn to God," says Johnson. "I believed in Him. but I didn't dedicate my life to Him until I had a tragic experience in my li fe. "When you make that commitment to the Lord, you're gonna have lots of confrontations, and there' ll be lots of tugging. I feel that myself. But there's only one way to be on this earth, and that is to be a Christian!'' Johnson, always candid and never shy, speaks about his faith as openly as he talks • AU G U S T 1 996

. tainly no ostrich act. No other pitcher even came close to his accomplishments. Big No. 51 led the league in earned run average (2.48), winning percentage (.900), strikeouts (294), batting average against (.20 I), and strikeouts per 9 innings pitched ( 12.35-a new major league record). Randy tinished the season with an unbelievable 18-2 record, j ust one win short of capturing the pi tching Tri ple Crown (wins, ERA, and K's). Had he captured that, Johnson would have been the American League's tirst Triple Crown winner in 50 years. The fact that he got only 26 of 28 fi rstplace votes for the American League Cy Young Award is a travesty! Not voting for Johnson after the season he had in 1995 would be like voting to put artificial turf at Wrigley Field. It's just wrong. But Johnson doesn't revel in his amazing success. He knows hitters respect him. He knows he's good. But he also recogni zes that it isn't all his doing. "There are a lot of professional athletes who think they're doing it all on their own," says Randy. "I was one of those athletes at one time. I felt that when I struck out a bunch of guys, that it was solely me doing it- but not anymore. "The Lord's given me the ability to go out and do the things that I do. It's being done by the Lord." Johnson has been gifted with a Kingdome full of talent. He's tall, he throws amazingly hard, he's smart, and his competitive spirit is second to none. "He does not like to lose," says Mariners catcher Dan Wilson. "He is a very competitive person-a real warrior-type!" Although he doesn't go to battle with

Be was tough acouple of years ago when he really didn't have command. of his pitches. Now he's really got control of the strike zone. It's scary:' -teammate Paul Sorrento

now 1s knowing that I can go out and be a warriorfor the Lord:'

..,.Apraying warrior. Before every game, including this 1995 ALCS battle against the Indians, Randy,, spends a few moments in prayer. JED JAC08SOHN I AL.L.SPORT

a javelin in his hand , as Wil son's comment suggests, some hitters would rather stare down a fl aming spear than a Johnson fastball. "As a hitter, you're hoping to get a couple walks and maybe chink a flare in somewhere and beat him 1-0." says Sorrento. " It feels good to be on the other side of it now." Others aren' t so fortunate. They have to face the slants of Johnson every fifth day. which usually means success for the Mariners. In 1995, the M's went an amazing 27-3 in games Johnson started. When an irritated nerve in his lower back sidelined the 1995 Cy Young winner for much of the current season.

Johnson was already 5-0 and leading the league in stri keouts-again! Before the inj ury, Randy had won 25 of his last 27 decisions, and he was 34-5 in his last 52 starts. Although he has missed several " fi fth days" this season. the California native takes great pleasure in taking the hill and representi ng his Lord. "The greatest feeling I get playing baseball right now is knowing that I can go out every fifth day and be a warri or for the Lord; 路 says Randy. " I can go out behind the mound and crouch down and say my prayer and then be a very aggressive, warrior-l ike pitcher. glori fying Him in that sense.

" I'm sure a lot of people believe in the Lord, but they're not committed to Himthey haven' t given their life to Him. " I think everybody realizes there is a Lord Jesus Christ. Whether they're committed to Him or not, it's gonna be important to them before they die to make that decision. We're talking eternalli fe-we路re talking forever." Sound li ke a guy who is tim id about the gospel? Not a chance ! Randy makes no more apologies for talking about his faith in Christ and hi s source of blessing than he does for tucki ng a fastball under somebody 's chin. Even when normal media types don' t want to hear it, Randy gives the credit for hi s success to

---=,'------

"f' Dad again. Randy

walked away from a scheduled start in April to be with his w ife for the birth of their second child, Tanner Roland Johnson.

Bud Johnson never pitched in the American League Championship Series. He never led the majors in strikeouts. He never won the American League Cy Young Award. He never even pitched in the big leagues. Yet his son, Randy Johnson, who has done all of the above, wants to be just like him. "I can see now what my dad did for me," the younger Johnson says. Bud Johnson was a God-fearing, family man who taught his son discipline and the difference between right and wrong. He taught him Christian values. Today, Randy is striving to do for his children what his dad did for him: raise a family that follows Christ. "Probably the biggest responsibility of being a parent is to make sure that your children know the Lord from an early age," says Randy. "I'll make sure as a father and as a husband that my family realizes we have a lot to be thankful for, life is very short, and we need to make the right choice before we die." The right choice, Johnson has discovered, is to surrender your life to Jesus Christ. How do you do that? You pray to God, confessing the sin in your life and accepting Jesus' death on the cross as payment for your sinsacknowledging Jesus as the Lord of your life. God's forgiveness is free for us to accept-or for us to reject. We must make the decision! -Rob Bentz

FREE BOOKLET

For more information about following Jesus Christ, request the free booklet 10 Reasons To Believe in Christ Rather Than Religion. To get the booklet, write to Sports Spectrum, Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501 or call 1-800-653-8333. E-mail requests can be sent to (bvanproo@rbc.org). When asking for the booklet, use the title and this code: REREL

2 1

TOM DIPACE

"Knowing that I can go among 50,000 fans and pray, and people take notice of that-it's very gratifying to me." Randy's relationship with God isn 't something he uses as a showpiece or as a good-luck charm. His faith in Jesus Christ is authentic. And more than being just a warrior-like pitcher, Randy Johnson is a prayer warrior. He prays before, during, and after games. He enjoys close communication with God through prayer. "I do a lot of praying. I do a lot of talking to the Lord. It's something I really enjoy," says Johnson. "When people thi nk I'm talking to myself-I'm doing a lot of praying. So I'm in constant contact with Him." The 32-year old pitcher is very honest about his relationship with Jesus Christ. He knew about Jesus for years. But he didn 't live for Him. Today. Randy knows the Lord in a very personal way. He knows the Lord in a way that many people don't, but in a way that he would like them to. SPORTS SPECTRUM - AUGUST 1 996

the Lord Jesus Christ. "I realize a lot of media people shut that out. They want to know why you have so much success, but they don 't want to hear the real reason-because the Lord has given you the abilities." And the Lord has definitely given Randy Johnson extraordinary abilities. Abilities he has worked hard to develop, hone, and master. Unlike the thrower who broke into the maj ors with the Montreal Expos in 1988, Johnson has mastered the slider, the fastball, and the art of intimidation. He is a complete pitcher-in every sense of the word. His peers' responses don't lie. "You just hope you see the ball out of his hand," says Oakland As infielder Scott Brosius after he smiles, chuckles anxiously, and responds to an inquiry about the Mariners' ace. '路He is the ultimate power pitcher!" Just mention the name and the players will tell you. Randy Johnson is the big league's Mister Big.

.A. Something

against Lefties. Left-handed batters beware. Heading into the '96 season, Johnson hadn't yielded a home run to a left-handed batter since 1992.

S P ORTS SPECTR UM • AUGUST 1 996

lrEA'l!'V

Laurie Brower has never won an event on the LPGA Tour, but she has already proved that she's a winner By Scott Bordow AURIE BROWER HAS BEEN run over by a woman who displays sil ver chalices on her car, suffered a wrist injury that threat- mant le or boasts a seve n-figure savin gs ened her career, and spent 2 '12 years account. It's a story that transcends the ups and downs of professional golf. tak ing care of her dying mother. So what' s the big deal if a fo urLaurie Brower began to discover how tough foot putt for par slides past the hole? life can be when she was a rambunctious ''I'm not Lau rie Brower the toddler growing up in Southern California. She golfer ," she says, "I' m Laurie crawled out of her car seat one day and act:iBrower. I' m pretty much one of dentall y put the automobile in gear. Then she those people whose attitude doesn' t fell out the car door and was run over. The fluctuate over a good score back tire rolled right across or a bad score." her diaper. Brower is also one of Amazingly, the doctors those LPGA pros you never who exam ined Laurie hear abo ut- the ones who could find little wrong with stru ggle to make a li ving, her. For the next 6 weeks, though, she rarely stopped who cut costs by sharing a room at the local Motel 6 and crying, and she couldn ' t frequenting Oenny"s for their suck her thumb. A subseGrand Slam breakfasts. quent visit to the doctor reveal ed why: She had In 6 seasons on the Tour, Brower has made just over broken both arms. $110,000. She's never won "They finall y figured it a tournament nor even finout," she says. .A Things are looking up. Laurie ished in the Top 5. Thin gs sett led down Brower had her best year In 1995, In some ways, th ough, including her highest earnings fig- un ti l 1986 when Brower, Brower's story is more ure and her highest finish, a sixth by then a South ern Ca li fo rnia junior champ remarkable than that of any place at the PING-AT&T tourney.

SPOR TS S P EC TR U M â&#x20AC;˘ A U G U S T 1 996

PLAY IN G

.A Lining things up. One of Laurie Brower's strengths has been getting out of traps. Halfway through the current season, she was eighth on the LPGA Tour in Sand Saves with a .556 percentage.

and two-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year at Texas Tech, decided to try the LPGA's qualifyi ng school. She had graduated from Tech in 1985 with a degree in handicap recreation, and she felt ready for the pros. She was on her way to making the Tour when she hit a routine fairway shot-and her wrist screamed in pain. "I said, 'Wow! That hurt !'" Brower recalls. Brower had ripped all the cartilage in her wrist. For the next several months, her wrist was so sore she couldn' t pick up a pencil. X-rays showed that the bones in the wrist had fused together. Following surgery, one doctor told Laurie she would never play golf again. Brower still isn't sure if the wrist injury was a result of her wanderlu st as a todd ler. "How would yo u know?" she asks. For the next 18 months, Brower rehabilitated her wrist before she was ready to give pro golf another shot. Just as she began to get ready to go back on the Tour, her father called. Could she come home? Her mom was dying of a brain tumor. All her life, Brower had waited for the opportunity to pro ve she could play with the best golfers in the world. She had overcome any linge rin g effects of the car accident. She had recovered from the wrist injury. This was her time to shine. But when her dad called, she didn 't give golf a second thought. "My dad asked me to qui t wo rk. I did ," Brower says. "I never asked why. It was my mother." No r did Gary Brower think twice abo ut aski ng hi s PETEFOriTAIIlE I IVATSOIIPUBUCATlOfiS daughter to SUSpend her career. He knew Laurie had always put others before herself. When she was 7 yea rs old, for exampl e, she wo uld take get-well cards to older neighbors who were ill. "I don' t know how she got the cards," Gary says . "But she ' d take them to the peop le, help around the house, and try to cheer them up." When Brower was a rookie on Tour in 199 1, she volunteered to work the scoreboards at the events. In a tournament earlier this year, Brower and her caddy thought their tee time was 8:00 a.m. It was actuall y 7:40. Because they showed up late, Brower was suspended. After being told of the penalty, Laurie turned to her caddy and said, "Well, it's Good Friday. Let's have a good Friday."

THROUGH

"That's just Laurie,'· Gary says, of his daughter's gracious attitude. For 30 months in the late 1980s, Brower took care of her mom, never straying far from home. Laurie wanted to be there when Mrs. Brower needed help. Some days were good. During those times, Dorothy Brower was lucid, could hold a conversation, and remember life as it once was. Other days were worse, when Mrs. Brower's brain would be "foggy," as Brower descri bes it. "When she woke up from naps, she would scream with fear if nobody was there," Brower says. "So I tried to stay close by. I was there whenever anything bad happened." The onl y respite for Brower was Late Night 111ith David Le11erma11. After Dorothy went to bed, Brower would turn on the television and try to remember that there was light in all the darkness. "Dav id Letterman was the onl y thing that would make me laugh," she said. "The stupid pet tricks, stupid human tricks. It felt wonderful just to laugh." Brower knew she was losing potenti all y the best years of her golf career, but she didn't care. Taking care of her mom was more important. Eve n th ough her mind and body we re fail ing, Laurie's mom insisted that her daughter not give up on her future. So Laurie bought a net to hit balls into and some Astroturf to putt on. The backyard became her field of dreams. "I couldn ' t leave her. That' s how I practiced ," she says. "I was very thankful for that time with my mom," Brower says. "Otherwise I wouldn' t have been home with her and gotten to spend so much quality time. I wouldn' t change any of it. None of it. I had to watch her deteriorate, but God took her in a very gentle way, and I was there for her." Dorothy died in 1989. Says Gary of Laurie' s dedication to her mom, " It set Laurie back quite a bit, but she's the kind of gal who doesn' t let things get her down. She's always optimistic." There was a time when Brower might have felt sorry for herself, felt that life had given her a raw deal. But that all changed in Janu ary of 1992 when Brower accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. It wasn' t a decision born from one signi ficant moment. Rather, it was a grad ual process, one that began in a seemingly mundane way. Brower was rehabilitating her wrist in her doctor's office when she noticed one of the therapists wearing a pin that said, "Happy Birthday, Jesus." "I said, 'I don' t get it,' " Brower recalls. Brower wasn' t a stranger to Christianity. Her mom was a believer. So was her brother. And nearly every member of the Texas Tech women's golf team confessed their faith in Christ. Brower just didn't want to hear any of it. "I didn' t reall y care what they were or who they were," she says. "I just wanted them to leave me alone. I wanted to be an individual." There was something about the therapist, though, that intrigued her. The two talked, and Brower agreed to

S PORTS S PEC TRUM•A U GUST 1 996

Brower wasn't sure what direction her future was heading. Then Barb Mucha, LPGA pro and a close friend, asked Brower if she wouldn't mind caddying for her in some West Coast tournaments. Brower immediately said yes. What else did she have to do? One of Brower's empl oyersshe wo n' t say who-told her, "You might as well go ahead. It's as close as you'll ever get to playing on the Tour." Brower could ha ve been angry. But she recognized there was some tru th in the statement. "I wasn' t playing, and I thought, 'Well , maybe he's right.' " He wasn't. Brower got a call from a friend askin g her to play in a mini-tour event in Southern Cali fornia. Brower said thanks, but no thanks. She sti ll wasn' t emotionally ready. The friend ins isted. Brower said yes, then changed her mind. "That's fine," the friend said, ''but you better find somebody to pick me up at th e airport." The next morning, Brower met her fri end for breakfast. The two began to talk , and the mini -tour event in Victorville, Californi a, was the prime topic. Finall y, Brower agreed to play. PEn FOUTA.ViE / W4TSOU PUBUCATlOUS She nearl y regretted the decision. • Twin Cities tang o. Laurie Brower and her caddy were not using sign She stepped up to the tee at the first lan guage, they were trying to figure out how to tame the Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, course at the 1996 Edina Realty LPGA Classic in mid-June. hole and suddenly realized it was the After a two-under 70 on the f irst round and an even par 72 on Saturday, same course where her mom had last Brower shot a 75 in Round 3 to finish 10 strokes off the lead. watched her play. Brower stm1ed sobbing. She took a nine and headed for read Josh McDowell's book, More Than A C(//penter. the second hole, certain she wouldn' t be able to finish. "A few months later, it all made sense," she says. "Then I reali zed my mom wo uldn ' t want to see "It's been the toughest thing I've ever done. And," she me like this.'' she says. Brower rallied to shoot a 75. She finished fi fth, earnquickl y adds, "the most rewarding." Brower's faith has helped her cope with her mother's ing $900. Pocket change on the LPGA Tour, but the death. Laurie knows now that God had a plan for her money wasn' t important. The fire was back. li fe-and if taking care of her mother was part of that "It was time to get the ball rolling," she decided. plan, she should accept it with grace. Less than a year later. she had proved her boss "I' ve never talked much about it, but there's no ques- wrong. She made the Tour in October 1991 . It 's been a hard road the last 5 years. No wins. Not tion I have a pretty strong faith inside," she says. After her mom died, Brower wasn' t emotionall y even any close calls. Brower is 32 and wondering. Has ready to tee it up full -time, so she wa ndered. She her time passed? "I don' t know how much longer I want to golf. but I worked a couple of odd jobs, one as a secretary for a pet-suppl y distributor, another at Yorba Linda Country want to play until I know how good I can be," she says. And if the victory never comes, well, it wouldn't be Club in Californi a. and a third at Anahein1 Stadium the end of the world. making popcorn. "Everything's in perspective," she says. ''I look at "She's very work-oriented," Gary says. "She had to stop making popcorn because she was getting it all over my mom' s situation and I think, 'Well , at least I'm the place. She just made too much." alive.' That keeps you pretty calm.'' Of course, there were the fringe benefits. "She got to watch a lot of baseball." Gary says. Scott Bord01r is a freelance writer ll'ho lives in Jltlesa, "She's a big Angels fan: · Arizona. SPOR T S SPECTR UM • AUGUST 1996

Touched~

The Angels

When the California Angels came within one pitch of the World Series in 1986 before losing the American League Championship Series to the Boston Red Sox, Laurie Brower went "ballistic." When the Angels collapsed last fall, blowing a 10-game lead faster than any team in baseball history, Brower's "heart was bleeding." The Angels may not have a bigger fan than Brower, who's been followi ng the team since she grew up, living as she did just 12 minutes from Anaheim Stadium. Brower and her friends used to go to games, pay $2 apiece, and sit in the bleachers, marveling at their favorite players Nolan Ryan and Rod Carew. "I thought he hung the moon," Brower says of Carew. "It seemed li ke he got a hit every time up." Brower was working at Yorba Linda Country Club in So uthern California when Angels outfielder Don Baylor dropped by to hit some balls. "I watched Don Baylor hit in two swings one of the shortest drives I've ever seen and one of the longest drives I've ever seen," Brower says. "It was pretty amazing." Brower would like to get marri ed some day, and if an Angels player just happened to be on the other side of the aisle, well, imagine the fringe benefits. "Free tickets," she says, laughing. - Scott Bordow

r----------------------------------------- --------------------------- - ~

UICK, OTHER THAN OFFICIALS, NAME THE

most maligned group in all of professional sports. Did you say, "Agents"? Many people would. Th e mere menti on of the term prompts visions of long holdouts, intense negotiations, heated conversations in stuffy conference rooms, and red-eye fli ght s between the cities of competing teams. After alm ost I 0 yea rs as a player representati ve, Eugene Parker of Parker and Associates in Fort Wayne, Indiana, knows all th at ca n be true. Among Par ker's age ncy ' s clients are Emmitt Sm ith and Deion Sanders of the Cowboys, Rod

Co ll ege Player of th e Year), Boston Red Sox pitcher Randy Tomlin, and former San Diego Charger Gil Byrd. He recalls a tough negotiation session earl y in his 11 -year career. Apparently frustrated by the course of contract talks, an owner fired thi s missile at Moye: "If you aren't going to back down, he is never going to play here, and he is never going to play anywhere." As a relatively new representative, Moye could have backed down. But he was committed to hi s client, and he had a bigger pri orit y to consider. When he entered the industry, he wanted to use his business to help family-oriented athletes, and he want-

ed his strong Christian faith to be a source of integrity and strength. He didn' t back down. Instead, he stood fi rm. Eventuall y, the team signed hi s client for the original salary he was asking. "I do my homework. I pray for God ' s wi II to be done. Then I fight as hard as I can to achieve excellent results, because I know the battle is the Lord's." His faith also gives him energy to work hard er. " God is pleased with excellence; therefore, my goal is to be an excellent age nt. When I remember God is strong in my weakness, it rea II y takes the pressure off." Moye says he stri ves to keep

TLe Not all agentยง are <:reated equal, aยง tLeยงe tLree men of prin(iple pro.,e

By D ean Jackson

Woodson of Pittsburgh, and Cornelius Bennett of the Atlanta Falcons. During the intense competiti on fo r the services of Sanders, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys sent the team jet to Indiana to fit negotiations into Parker's schedule. "I don' t know if it is a misconception," says Parker of the public's perception of agents. "I think it is exaggerated how persuasive [we are] and how much theatrics go on-there are some in a negotiati on setting, but just abo ut everything people hear ... good and bad, is true, but not to the extent people think. You still are dealing with pretty good people who want to do the right thing." Mike Moye, of Moye Sports Associates in Atlanta, represents baseball and football players such as Greg Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies system (the 1995 Baseball America's

Eugene Par~er

26 ~--------------------------------------------------------------------S P O R TS S P ECTRUM โ ข A U G U ST 1 9 9 6

-----------------------------------------------------------------------,

business matters separate from personal and emotional issues, which gives him the opportunity to stay foc used in the midst of pressure. "If you refuse to let their anger in the moment make you angry, it generally defuses the situation," Moye says. " It reall y comes down to basic business disagreements, and sometimes it just takes time to solve those." Parker agrees. "My approach is 'Let's separate business matters from personalities. I don ' t take this personall y.' The only thing I take personall y is if a team ' s representati ves are dishonest and wo n' t be people of their word. I take that personall y because I have to deal wi th them on that basis." Because integrity is such a key iss ue, Parker, Moye, and Kyle Rote Jr., of Memphis-based Ath letic Resource Management, have bu ilt their professions on it. They approach the business of sports agency from a unique angle. With exce ll ence and integri ty at the cornerstone of their businesses , they use Chri stian principles to gui de them. As a res ult , eac h has developed the reputati on of being a fierce negotiator who fights fair. Rote is the agent for players

such as Regg ie Whi te of the Green Bay Packers, Horace Gran t of the Orlando Magic, Scott ie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls, and Greg McM ichael of the Atlanta Braves. Incidentall y, Rote had cli ents in the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the NBA Finals in 1995-96. Kind of an agent's triple crown. Stephen Grant of th e Indianapo li s Colts knows why his agent, Rote, has such a strong commit ment to honesty and "doing the right thi ng." "He has to answer to God," Grant says. "And he keeps that in mind." He wants to please God in all areas of his life, Grant explains. Integrity is important, Parker says. "Teams will label you. If they think you are a person who lacks integrity, they will circulate the word about you." In addition to his commitment to a li festyle of tru th, Parker believes teams res pect him as "tough on economic issues and protection for my clients, and I have an un derstandin g of the marketplace. I am not unreasonable. If I tell them something, if I give them my word, it is as good as any written contract I sign." Parker's clients know that he won't even "fib" when it comes to answerin g the phone for them.

When they ask him to screen callers by saying they aren' t in, he refuses. To Parker, that's lying. Besides integrity and truthfulness, another sign of a good agent is the ability to dig into the task and represent a client well. Accord ing to one source, this is where Mike Moye is strong. "From what I' ve seen," says Tim Cash, a former min or leag ue baseball player and member of accountability and Bible stud y groups wi th Moye and several professional athletes, "when you are deali ng wi th the financial angle of negotiation, I don' t think there is anybody out there who will research, who wil l study, who will pursue, who will know the specifics of the field more than Mike Moye." When Moye left his former agency to start his own business in the early 90s, Cash says Moye had the opportun it y to lure his client s away from his fo rmer employer. Moye promi sed he would not do that. No written agreement had to be drawn up. He just gave his word. Each of the agents believes sports should serve as a launchi ng pad for greater productivity after sports for his athletes. Each agency offers a range of servicesfrom helping athletes find experts

A Learning by Rote. Colts linebac ker Stephen Grant, who is beginning his fifth season in Indianapolis, shares his agent's faith. Of his agent, he say s, " Kyle has to answer to God, and he keeps that in mind."

27 - ----------------------------------------------------------------------~ SPORTS SPEC TRUM â&#x20AC;˘ AUGUST 1996

THE

REA L

DEAL

COURTESY: M.J<E MOVE

"' One of Mike's men. Former Charger cornerback Gil Byrd spent 10 years in the NFL before injuries forced him out. Of agent Mike Moye, Byrd says, "Mike is very persistent. .. but not offensive. He is just a guy who continues to do what he thinks is right for his clients. "

in law, ta xes, medicine, and investments, to securing endorsements and insurance. In some cases the agents assist in the purchase of cars and homes, and they handle speaking engagements. In the case of Rote's ARM, the agency helps with personal matters such as sending flowers and gifts to fri end s and famil y. To the agents, it's all part of helping their clients achieve their potential. Rote's client services even includes a "no-debt" club, through which employees of ARM actively encourage clients to get fin ancially fit. Rote believes that professional athletes should not be in debt. The no-debt club already has 20 members. It may seem odd that age nts fo r high-paid athl etes have to deal so often with the danger of fin ancial failure, but Moye understands why. "I am a fiduciary. I am a business manage r," Moye explains. "I see myself as a protector or a wall of protection. Professional athletes have a lot of people wanting a piece of them." Former Charge r Byrd we nt through several agents-including one who was involved in dru g abuse-before he signed with Moye. "I listen to Mike... he is ve ry persistent , ve ry aggressive in his approach, but he is not offensive in any way. He is just a guy who continues to do what he thinks is ri ght for his clients," says Byrd. Concern goes deeper than fi nancial goals and business deal-

ings. Their clients' personal li ves are especiall y important to Rote and Moye. In 1992, Stephen Grant was just entering the professional ranks. He recalls getting as many as I0 to 15 calls per day from eager agents. Grant wasn' t impressed with any of them. Then he met Rote. "Kyle was probably the onl y one who was genuine. It said a lot about his character," Grant says. The former IOth-round pick from West Virginia was overwhelmed with the treatment he received. "He was willing to discuss any issue, not just football ," Grant says. "He had a concern for all areas of my life." Grant and Rote even spent time together seeking wisdom on the subject of marriage and tryin g to find godl y principles in selectin g a future mate. From the first day of their cli entagent relationship , Rote promi sed to pray for Grant. When Grant first signed with th e

Indianapolis Colts, he felt as if he was simpl y a warm body th e team could use at practice. Rote made it a point to stay in personal contact with his young client. Later, he flew to Grant's weddin g, des pite a heavy work schedule. Another of Rote's cli ents is Dav id Wood, an NBA forward who has had to keep his suitcase packed. He has pl ayed for all three Texas teams, the Detroit Pistons, the Phoeni x Suns, and the Golden State Warri ors. "Anybody wo uld be a fool not to sign with Kyle. I don' t know of anybody who comes

..,... Journeyman wisdom. Hardworking David wood claims that " anybody would be a fool not to sign with Kyle."

BAARvGOSSAae

PHOTos

L-------------------------------------------------------------------~ SPOR T S SPECTRUM - A U G U ST 1 996 28

THE

REAL

DEAL

~-- --- ---------- ------------ ---------------- ---------- --------------, close to him,'' Wood says. He Arizona Cardinals, it is the person- these three agent s is eager to has such respect for Rote's wisal interest of Mike Moye that is challenge his clients to examine dom that he ranks him with his impressive. "What I am called to the claims of Christ in their own fat her as being one of the best do is important to [Mike]," says li ves. For their clients who have Sports agent Eugene Parker Williams. Moye has a great under- strong faith, the agents' goal is to influences on his li fe. offers his insights, gleaned Wood, who played last season standing of what drives Williams help that faith grow. from hours of intense for Dallas, signed with Rote out and his family: ministry is at the "Careers are sho11," Moye says. negotiations of college. His career took him heart of all Williams' decisions. "Eve n if a player is fortun ate to the Continental Basketba ll "He has been able to incorpo- enough to play I0 years, he soon Examine your motives: Ask Association, the European leagues, rate his God-given wisdom in a faces retirement from pro sp011s. I yourself what is behind what and finally to the NBA. When he way that enlightens me," Williams can predict with IDO-percent ceryou want to accom plish. The greatest motivation is love. became more visible, other agents says. "His wisdom has shown to tai nty that the sands will shift If your motivation is love, called and offered larger contracts be vital." under his feet. One of my greatest then you've got a founda ti on than Rote did. So Wood jumped to And Moye has done Williams personal feelings is to let them from whi ch you can judge one of the agents with a golden some good at the bargaining table know and understand those sands your actions. tongue. But it soon became appar- too. Under Moye's negotiation, are going to shift in advance, and Put yourself in the other perent to Wood th at the new guy Williams recentl y signed a con- that Christ is their solid rock." son's shoes: Understand his or couldn't compete with Rote. Parker believes his responsibilitract that made him the second her point of view. Often disty is to set an example for his "It was li ke the prodigal son," highest-paid defensive back in agreements can be an opportuWood says. " He never showed football history. clients. Parke r's strategy is to nity to find common groun d. If any resentment for me leaving." As men who strive to li ve by make them curious enough to ask you can see the other person's For Aeneas Willi ams of the Christian princ iples, each of questi ons, then he will eagerl y point of view, you may not be talk about his faith in Christ. "I that far off. want my lifestyle to speak louder Agree that you are only disthan some ' advertisement ,'" agreeing on issues: The conIn at least two cases this year, in the history of football, behind Parker says. "You can train someflict is not with them as peoMike Moye's clients chose to seek Deion Sanders. one to say the right words, but ple or their value or their contracts that put ministry and Like Gagne, Willia ms could have does the lifestyle match up? A lot worth. Let them know you family opportunities ahead of received more. Jac ksonville, San of peopl e have heard the ta lk. respect th em and you are not financial gain. Francisco, Detroit, attacking them. They want to see the walk, the Los Angeles shortChicago, Tampa Bay, lifestyle. I understate the talk." stop Greg Gagne, proand Kansas City all Look for common ground: Rote had the opportunity to see filed in Sports expressed interest. Build on the areas about which one of his clients, Fred Barnett of you agree. Spectrum's April 1995 But for Williams edition, turned down a and Moye, there were the Phil adelphia Eag les, put his Get the facts on the table: 2-year pact with the other things to confaith in Jesus Christ. The response Deal with concrete issues logiDodgers- a deal that sider before signing. of Jackie Barnett to the change in cally. If t hey are emotional could have paid him "It was more than his issues, you may need to comher husband sti ll stands out clearly almost double the athletic career;' Moye promise. Once you dissect the in Rote's memory. "His wife sent salary of his 1-year says. "Not just how emotional issues, the problem me a wonderful voice mail mespact. giving him secuwell we could fit in a may become very small. sage. It made me cry. rity for 2 years. system that would tap "We don' t try to overwhelm Look at the big picture: "We prayed a good his ability to patrol When emotio nal issues are people," says Rote. "We try to bit over the negotiathe secondary and added to factual issues, intergive a consistent pattern of gentle, tions and just asked intercept passes. He personal issues, and agenda God to make it clear mulled over the minloving witnessing to the guys, and issues, it can com plicate the and to lead Greg in istry opportunities he with Fred it really seemed to take. entire process. what He wanted him to would have in the new "I am thankful to God that He - Dean Jackson do," Moye says. He communities, and gave me the pri vilege to be part of signed a 1-year deal whether God wanted Fred's growth. We certainly want with the Dodgers. him to stay involved to see our clients grow financialGagne believed his in the ministries he ly-that's why they hi re us. It's family was a higher priwas a part of in particularl y satisfying, though, ority than baseball. Arizona. when yo u can help people not Moving from his native "We wanted to onl y financiall y, materi all y, and New England and leav- .A. Going the right know if what God had ing their church to go direction. For Aeneas started, He had comvocationally, but also spiritually." to California meant a Williams and Greg pleted;' Williams says. With agents like these th ree, major change. The Gagne, money isn't To Moye, fighting there may be hope for professionchange would require the only issue. for his clients does al sports after all.

How To Handle

Disagreement

1 T

A New Bouom line

serious investigation before a longterm commitment could be made. Moye negotiated Aeneas Williams' contract with Arizona, which made the Cardinal star the second-highest paid defensive back

include financial considerations, but there is a more important issue. "I am going to get them the best they can possibly get within the parameters they feel God has set." -Dean Jackson

Dean Jackson, a freelance wriler from Harlan, Indiana, is also a public address m1nouncer for !he Fori Wayne Wizards of !he Class A Midwes/ League.

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T •••••••••••••••••••••••

Taking You On the Scene For Show Jumping

Riding High By Jennifer Elvgren of a bay, 16.3 hand, 10-yearold Hanoverian gelding, Laura Watt Casati guides the I,350-pound horse toward the base of a 5-foot fence. Using his powerful haunches, the animal springs from the ground, soars over the obstacle and lands with catlike grace. " It is literally like floating, being lofty and being at one with your horse," says Casati from the sadd le of The Wisher Star, an animal she hopes to take with her to the 2000 Ol ympics in Sydney, Australia. Although Casali has trained and ridden Grand Pri x show jumpers for the past 23 years and the sport has been around since the 18th century, jumpers have onl y recently become popular in the United States. It originated in both European cavalry exercises and British fox hunting, and has been an offi cial Olympic sport since 191 2. The rul es are uniform from competition to co mpetition, country to country. Horses and riders must clear each fence on a course of 15 to 20 obstacles in a certain amount of time. If a horse refuses, knocks down a fence or any portion of it, or goes beyond the time limit , penalty points called faults are assigned. If either a horse or its rider falls, the pair is eliminated. Riders and horses who ha ve jumped the firs t round without faults return for a second round ca ll ed a jump-off, where the course is shortened and fences are ra ised. The winner of the competiti on is the horse-andrider combin atio n that jumps faultless ly and fini shes the course in the shortest time. According to Casati, there are perhaps 200 horses in the United ERCHED ON THE BACK

States capable of comsince then has won the 1984 international class peting on the Grand at The Dobrock Turnier Prix level. Once Grand Prix level is achieved, it in Germany. She trained, rode, and qualified the is understood that the Hanoverian sta llion price of the horse starts at $100,000. Glan zpunkt for the Ol ympi c tri als for the Although Casati 's 1992 Barcelona games. beginnings were humOn the training side, ble, she has worked her Casati has started and way to the top of her developed eight proven field horse-by-horse. Grand Prix level horses. "The closest I could get to a horse originally Two of those horses have represented their was asking my mother co untries in Olympi c to draw one for me. games-Grey Flight for When I was about 3, she already figured out Guatemala in Montreal in 1976, and Coast! ine that I was horse crazy[ was born with it," fo r the US in LA in recall s Casati . When 1984. she was 9, Casati 's Casati speaks freely of her faith. She also shares grandfather bought her wi th her riding colfirst horse, Rebel. leagues, as wel l as her "I rode Rebel barelocal community, a minback and must have had istry she founded called "I 100,000 miles on him," Can/We Can." It's a nonshe says with a laugh. profit foundation th at As a teenager, Laura works with at-risk chilrode every horse she could get a saddle on, dren and youth in daily after-school and summer especially jumpers and programs. problem horses, and "I Can/We Can" she entered every involves horses and other horse show possible. animals, music, ar1, drama, Her career began in culinary ar1s and spor1s at her hometow n of A When you wish upon a star. Laura Casatl and The Wisher Star were not able to achieve their goal of her farm . It provides Tallahassee, Florida. As her professional making the 1996 US Olympic show-jumping team, but opportunities for children Casati still has dreams of helping young people. to di scover indi vidual success grew, Laura gifts and talents plus receive guidfelt increasingly empt y, basing ! Casati began to wonder if there her self-worth on her performance : was more to life. ance in establishing career goals. "God has given everyone gifts. in the show ring. "I just gave up. I dropped to my I want these children to discover "I considered myself a 'good' ! knees and realized that all of my their gift and know it comes from gi rl. I was raised in a Christian : human efforts had failed me." At a God who has known them home, and my family we nt to ! age 25, she asked Jesus Christ to before they were bom. Those kids church. My parents are both ! be her Lord and Savior. have experienced a loss of hope, physicians and do a lot of mission • After that night, Casati deri ved work, es peciall y in Za ire and : her self-worth from Christ, which and Chri st can give them back that hope." Haiti. But somethi ng was miss- ! enabled her to handle the wins ing," asserts Casali. ! and losses better in this competiFreelance writer Jennifer £/vgren As her feelings of failure, lone- ! ti ve sport. She entered her first lives in Clwrlollesville, VA. liness, and iso lation increased, : Grand Prix in 1980 at age 26 and KYM KETCtwA

SPORT S SPECTRUM • AUGUS T 1996

It doesn't hurt to dream about how things should be in the world of sports

t J

HIS ISN'T A PERFECT WORLD,

but if it were, the following would be true:

..,. Greg Norman would win at Augusta.

..,. Detroit Tigers Hallof-Farner AI Kaline would've hit one more home run. (His career total stands at 399.) ..,. The Gene Autry-owned Californ ia Angels would've won a World Series. ..,. The Utah Jazz would be known as something other than the Jazz. ..,. Mo11day Night Baseball on ABC would still exist.

2B'

..,. The American League ERA wouldbe around 4.00 rather than above 5.00.

,..,

.,.,.,CAN L£M>u•~

~~.

..,. High school hoop stars would think of getting their BS or BA before getting their NBA 1040. ..,. The Buffalo Bills would've won at least one Super Bowl in their 4-year streak of appearances in the Roman-numeraled game. ..,. Player autographs would always be free and never for sale. ..,. Dale Earnhardt would win the Daytona 500. ..,. Longtime Princeton basketball coach Pete Cm-rill would've been the victorious coach in one NCAA championship game.

..,. More athletes would be like Avery Johnson, Pete Metzelaars, Steve Ontiveros, and Mike Gartner.

..,. Kevin Seitzer would get the respect he deserves as one of the top pure hitters in baseball. ..,. Teal would never again be used in another team's "new" color scheme. ..,. The media wouldn't glorify the attention-seeking antics of Dennis Rodman.

nized as the best running back in the NFL.

..,. The Baltimore Ravens would still be in Cleveland and be known as the Browns.

..,. Bobby Allison would sti ll be driving the #28 Texaco!Havoli ne Ford. ..,. The Jensen brothers, Luke and Murphy, would win the doubles title at Wimbledon. ..,. Everybody would get to watch Fred Hickman on CNN Sports To11ight- not just cable renters. ..,. Charlie Ward would've been selected in the early rounds of the NFL draft. ..,. Cal Ri pken wouldn' t miss a game until the day he retires. ..,. The NHL would still have the Norris and Smythe Divisions. ..,. Magic Johnson would stay retired.

..,. Roberto Clemente would've been able to finish his career. ..,. Somebody would again hit .400. ..,. The AFC would win a Super Bowl. ..,. Tony Gwynn would be recognized as one of the greatest hi tters in the history of baseball. ..,. There would actually be a few National Hockey League teams left in Canada.

..,. More successful athletes would be softspoken and humble like ! Jeff Gordon.

..,. Concussions wouldn' t have cut short the NFL careers of AI Toon, Merril Hoge, and Chris Miller. ..,. The sports world would be ti lled with men like Ned Jarrett.

..,. Darrell Waltrip would win another NASCAR race before climbing out of his race car for the final time.

..,. Major League Baseball would have a collective bargaining agreement.

..,. The city of Los Angeles would have a National Football League franchise. ..,. Marv Albert would say, "Yyyyyeesss" a little more often.

..,. There would be an annual game played between the current All-Madden team and the All-Madden team from the previous year. ..,. Greg Maddux would continue to pitch like Greg Maddux. ..,. Every baseball fan in the world would get to see a game at Camden Yards. ..,. Barry Sanders would be recog-

..,. Small-market teams like Milwaukee, Minnesota, and Montreal would have a legitimate shot at winning the World Series year in and year out.

..,. Big leaguers could actuall y play

S P O R TS SPEC TRUM • AU G U S T 1 9 9 6

pepper along the fence of a major league ballpark. ..,. More fans would know a player's batting average than his yearl y income. ..,. Brett Favre would return to his MYP form- pain-killer free. ..,. Bob Costas would host the pre-game show for every major sporting event known to man.

,....----~

..,. Politics wouldn' t play such a huge role in IndyCar racing. ..,. Don Shula and Dan Marino would've won a Super Bowl together.

.,. The Raptors, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Grizzlies would get real basketball uniforms, instead of those hodge-podges of colors, stripes, and oversized logos. ..,. Hank Stram and his immense football insight would once again roam an NFL sideline. ..,. Monica Seles wouldn't have missed two of the prime years of her tennis career. ..,. Paul Molitor would still be playing for the Brewers. ..,. Reggie .-------. White would register a sack to seal a Super Bowl victory and close out his NFL career.

-A ·

..,. John Kruk and Mark Fydrich wou ld still be playing in the bigs . 31

Get Your Head in the Game gets students excited about reading, expanding their vocabulary, and other learning skills. It features: • Sports Spectrum-a magazine you know will hold their interest! r----23...1!Q~• Fu n exercises t hat build godly character and lead to proven academic success for Junior/Senior High students ;::-:::':':""'----- • A Resource Guide and Answer Key to help guide student progress

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