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MCKIE'S MARCH SINGLETON Senior BJ McKie remains only For those of you who < 43 points behind Alex English or despise Shawn Singl as Carolina's all-time scoring column, make sure yoi leader. the author of "Singletor Stay tuned for McKie's march on 840 AM at 3 p.m. tc into the record books. as he makes a guest af ance on Maurice Stansf show. Friday, January 22, 1999 Racial diversity promoting King's dream I I "Without struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass A ^ew mon^ls a??> I ?ot into a rather ZA acrimonious conversation with Asomeone I felt lacked the mental B capadty to engage in a battle of wits with me, for she was Southern, and when one I particular subject came about, she became infuriated, not that no one else knew WJr about it. Nevertheless, she still became angry that I knew. !? ??? At first, I walked home through the bnawn bingieton ra*n> wondering why she became so anSingleton 3:16 gry with me at the subject of conversation. Then it hit me as hard as the rain that pelted the streets of Columbia. It wasn't the subject matter that left her so perturbed as it was the race of the person who brought the point up, at least in my mind. At this point, I became incensed with more fury than that deadly Plymouth from "Christine" and stormed home. Now, as the few readers out there (as well as my editors) wonder, "What the hell does this have to with sports?" continue reading. With the King holiday now past us and the farce known as African-American History Month quickly approaching, this week's latest diatribe is about the highs and lows of my race in the world of sports this century, which has been filled with triumph, tragedy and some excitine moments that, will he indelihlv etched inside the minds and hearts of every sports fan, regardless of age, gender or race. Like a faraway galaxy, the black star has lined a path as bright as the eternal flame that sits atop Dr. King's resting place in every sport it touches. However, unlike the idea that Marcus Garvey suggested, this black star has emblazoned its path right here in the United States, not back to Africa. In 1947, baseball entered a new era when Jackie Robinson was called up from the Brooklyn Dodgers' minor league team in Montreal to play in the majors. Despite countless racial slurs from fans and players such as Dixie (isn't this fitting) Walker, Robinson persevered to win Major League Baseball's first Rookie of the Year award, finish his 10-year career with a .311 batting average and receive a 1962 induction into Cooperstown. In the coming years, baseball would add new African-American stars like Satchel Paige, Don Newcombe (the first Cy Young Award winner in 1956), Camden native Larry Doby and Monte Irvin. African Americans in professional football date back to the 1920s, when Fritz Pollard was a player-coach. However, the color line was drawn around the end of ^ that decade and they wouldn't "No longer is return until after World War II. .i After the war, men such as Mar-, lilt ion Motley, Bill Willis, Paul montage Of Tank Younger, Joe Perry and i John Henry Johnson blazed Dr. Klllg S trails African Americans could J ? follow all the way until well vlXC^tlll <X into the next millennium with deferred their Hall of Fame talents. -a As time went by, players OIIC^ DUl 3 from predominately black col- reality at leges entered the league and J provided speed unseen in the lOllfi laSt. a. m i* t t d: ^ past, ^imriie uuuier, derry luce and Ben Coates are all blackcollege alumni. However, it wasn't until the arrivals of men like James Harris, Willie Lanier and Dwight Stephenson that African Americans were allowed to play leadership positions, such as quarterback, middle linebacker and center, respectively. The basketball world was taken into a new era in the 1950s with the arrival of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Over the next three decades, the NBA would see such talents as Lew Alcindor, Julius Erving and Michael Jordan light up scoreboards across the league. However, in the college ranks, Kentucky and its resident Nazi with the fitting name, Adolph Rupp, made one of segregation's last stands. That is, until an all-African-American team from Texas Western (now known as UTEP) led by Don Haskins laid the smack down on Rupp's lily-white idea of perfection for the national title in 1966. Today, the NBA is a bunch of overpaid African Americans who cry foul about race when they don't make enough money to buy themselves a new island in the Pacific. Alonzo Mourning's comments during the lockout were foul at best, but they provided a disturbing reality for me. This whole lockout wasn't about black or white, but green. To make this sad and sorry situation a racial issue disgusts me as a fan and says a great deal about the man who made those comments. While we're on the subject of people who have attempted to play the race card when it's not needed, how about Mahktar Ndiaye? During UNC's Final Four loss to Utah last year, the Tar Heel center accused one of the Ute players of calling him the one name that spells death for any redneck who says it without permission, then retracted the accusation soon thereafter. Now I know this is Utah, and the Mormons haven't had the most sparkling history of racial tolerance (just ask Dennis Rodman), but come on, Mahktar. Racism exists in all walks of life, but it should never be used as an excuse for any personal difficulties, especially a loss. Then, just last week, Eddie Fogler rationalized the basketball ?/-?r?m'c rnplr.Knffnm flDA r*^. vaphU nf +V10 HH lCQrlvanfarrii^" Kanlr. Lca.nA o iwu wuvwiii ui n ao tiic icou.il wi wiv/ v*iowv4Ttuitugv/u uativgrounds of his players. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, either, but this is a total cop-out by our "esteemed" head coach. Is being disadvantaged a reason not to attend class? This was an offensive comment to me and should have been to any people who have pulled themselves from this "disadvantaged" rut. African-Americans have changed the face of sports over the latter half of this century. With their arrival, these pioneers changed the face of society in general, for they forced other venues of society to stand up and take notice, especially in the turbulent 1960s. With the dawn of a new millennium, the black star is no longer a supernova. No longer is the montage of Dr. King's dream a deferred one, but n rpfllitv at lone last 7 f ' 1 (I5j eton's 1 1 3:16" 7 ><&y. J >pearieid's ry TheC Takii by Charlie Wallace Assistant Sports Editor At first sight, he looks like an ordinary coll player. But "ordinary" wouldn't be the word that USC freshman guard Jamel Bradley. He comes off the bench and does what he is contribute. Because he's just a freshman, Bradle; until he gains the experience, is to relieve the sta at the same time He fills that role quite nicely. Often labeled pure shooter, Bradley has a shot that is as si But "smooth" or "reliable" wouldn't be the best wc the Beckley, W.V., native, either. The perfect w< would be "smart." He exemplifies the word wheth with his family, or in life in general. Most people familiar with the USC men's bi know the main story on Bradley. He's deaf. M wrong. It's true Bradley lost his hearing at a you had to wear hearing aids most of his life, but h< face of a disability that would make most peop cult and trying. There's no doubt his hearing disabilities have { lems, but through that struggle, Bradley has b( person as well as a better basketball player. Growing up with a hearing disability was i thing to conquer. Many kids have enough trouble al growing pains, not to mention extra obstacles "It was frustrating," Bradley admits. "When up, I had no one who could relate to where I wa and I was not able to create friends because peoj if I was able to speak, or hear, or things like tha Bradley was the kid everybody ignored grov dren can be harsh because they re often scared ? able about different situations; imagine having a talks strangely and can't hear well. Consequently, no one, no matter how stron through tough times like those without help from ily. Bradley credits his family as having a big im] Even when he got older, he faced the same strugf he had a skill he could beat everyone with: bask "When people see me just shooting around, t hearing aids, and they think, 'I don't think this be able to play. He's deaf.' And then they may b As the season has gone on, Bradley has gotft recently, in a loss at Tennessee, Bradley came int ing 9 points. He was 2-for-4 from 3-point range, had an steal and took two charges. What was truly ai he did all that in nine minutes. In the next game da, in only eight minutes of playing time, Bradk er 3-pointer and had a transition layup he creai the ball from an unsuspecting UF player. "Once I get out on the court and [players! s tViincrc T can Hr\ ttipn fhp Vipnrl anmpc Vippnmp a l they know I'm just another player," Bradley exp His best game to date, however, came Saturd In 10 minutes, Bradley was 4-for-8 from the flo< of-7 from 3-point range, had two rebounds an( sist. He finished in double figures for the first 1 reer, scoring 11 points, and was USC's secondin the game. To quote "Return of the Jedi," "In impressive." He's not a Jedi knight yet. Howev tics like those, anyone can see Bradley has the dangerous. So what makes Bradley the player as well as is today? "I think my mem has been a big factor in m "Because I had this disability, I just wanted to s and not go out, not go to movies and things. "But she kind of pushed me. The more she p more I realized that I could achieve something i ketball was something I could do really good." Fel can thank Bradley's mom for their future frustr Ironically, though, the one thing that seemed tential to hold Bradley back has actually helped he's not a huge guy, and because his hearing, eve of aids, isn't 100 percent, Bradley uses somethi: sometimes forget about: his mind. "My strength Lady Gam Sports Roundup ius Compiled from Staff and AP Reports 58 res The South Carolina Lady Gamecocks a r jumped back into the winning column bu Wednesday night with a 73-70 victory at Mi George Mason. Carolina was led by four ry players who scored in double figures, with p0; Annie Lester's 23 points being a team tri high. George Mason was paced by junior guard Jen Surlas, who had a career-high pr( 28 points. Ge George Mason grabbed the opening tip of the game and immediately let USC th< know it was in for a battle. Ca The two teams swapped leads early until midwnv fVirmicrh flip first half whpn M* George Mason took the lead on a Surlas layup. coi The Patriots continued their hot shoot- de ing and built a five-point lead going into intermission. Led by Surlas' 18 points, po the Patriots shot 51.5 percent in the first lea 20 minutes and outrebounded the Lady ea! Gamecocks 22-17. South Carolina con- olii nected on 44.4 percent of its first-half shots. all, In the second half, South Carolina ral- wii lied to get back into the game behind the got play of freshman Shaunzinski Gortman slo and two 3-point plays by Jocelyn Penn. pie The two teams took turns at holding the lonH until a inmnor hi; Annin T nctnr with cnr jmecock A orts iamecock i g, can make it a . friends or fam- J , pact on his life. guy is going to 0 his own, scor- V mazing is that ^ :ymadeanoth- >%. ted by stealing ^P| fF ee some of the U#! ion-factor, and W ^ ilained. Rk ay at Alabama, UI )r, including 3- I 1 added an as- j time in his ca- I leading scorer K lpressive, most HB er, with statispotential to be 3 the person he Freshman Jamel y life," he said. Bradley has ove a * u ~ >ii in nit; iiuubt; the game," he sail mshed me, the physical, and thai n life, and has- thinking ability \ low SEC teams use my common s ations. Bradley not oi to have the po- court, but in life ; ihim. Because ball doesn't work n with the help Although his ng else players to focus on getting i is how I think to make parents ecocks v it 5:25 remaining gave USC the le; -57, and the Lady Gamecock led t ;t of the contest. George Mason ma un in the last two minutes of the gar t clutch free-throw shooting by Nil ars and Crishna Hill sealed the vie for South Carolina. A last-second int attempt to tie the game by the I ots' Surlas rolled off the rim. With the victory, South Carolina i 3ved its overall record to 10-7, wh orge Mason dropped to 6-9. On Sunday, the Lady Gamecocks hi e Arkansas Lady Razorbacks at t irolina Coliseum. Game time is 2 p. 'tt's basketball The Gamecocks remained winless iference play with a 77-66 loss to V; rbilt Wednesday night. Vanderbilt's Dan Langhi scored ints and pulled down 13 rebounds id the Commodores (11-6, 2-3 Sou stern Conference) and keep South C oa (5-12,0-6) winless in the SEC. "The whole team's been working i y hard, and we're trying to put soi r*o fnrrntlinr " T onrrKi coiH "T fViinlr 1 iio uaii^iu ouiu. X uiiinv : some confidence back. We had soi ppy mistakes, but collectively we tying a lot better." Vanderbilt led 38-29 going into t :ond half and never looked back. SCHEDULE Men's basketball J 24, at No. 20 Syra r Televised on CBS Women's basket Arkansas, 2 p.m. J Frank McGuire Ai :hai * I Bradley takes control of Care rcome partial deafness to play f d. "A lot of these guys are big and ;'s what they use, but I just use my ,vhen I'm out on the court. I just lonco " 7VU0V. nly uses his common sense on the as well. What happens if basketout? major is undeclared, he promises I his degree. That alone is enough proud. yin first id, South Carolina, pla he turnovers, went on a 9-2 tde the lead to 62-55 with 6:29 tie, throw by BJ McKie, but thi cki would get no closer. The ( to- built a 73-57 lead with 1: 3- Langhi layup. 3a- "They came out way ahe their press," South Carolina m- Fogler said. "When you're lie need to make them pay at t by getting baskets. We just < ost tonight." he Sam Howard, who avera ,m. a game, came off the bencl Commodores in the first ha of-4 from 3-point range and ; in game with 16 points, an- Atiba Prater added 12 p< derbilt. South Carolina 9H TVfrl^io'c crcjmo-Vncrh 99 nninl ; to cas added 10. thar College football Gary Barnett, who led a re- of the Northwestern football ] ne included an appearance in th we was hired as coach at Color ne Barnett, 52, returning 1 're where he was an assistant 1 sons under Bill McCartney, i he Neuheisel, who leitl Colora coach at Washington. No i* *^^Jj|g| JB1 j,-_; ?j^**^jlKj Sean Rayford Photo Editor ilina's offense in USC's game against Tennessee, or the Gamecocks. I "I'm just going to keep pushing myself in the classroom, and then I may be a spokesperson for people that are deaf and help them do things," he said. Yes, "smart" is the word that best describes Bradley. However, if he keeps helping out his team, ; and his community, maybe the word "helpful" could i be added. If all things go according to plan, it should fit just right. I game in '99 gued by 20 moved quickly to replace Barnett, hiring run and cut Miami of Ohio coach Randy Walker, left on a free Colorado Athletic Director Dick Tharp s Gamecocks said Barnett's hiring is subject to the ap/Ommodores proval of the university's board of regents. lpft r?n n Pro football ad of us with The San Francisco 49ers reached ini coach Eddie to their past for stability and direction by pressed, you hiring Bill Walsh as general manager. ,he other end Walsh, 57, the Hall of Fame coach who iidn't do that laid the groundwork for the 49ers' longrunning success, signed a four-year conges 8.9 points tract. He coached the 49ers to three Suti to help the per Bowl victories in the 1980s and had ilf. He was 3- an uncomfortable year-long stint under i finished the former coach George Seifert as a consultant in 1996. tints for Van- Joining Walsh in the front office will was led by be Terry Donahue, 54. The former UCLA ts. Aaron Lu- coach and TV broadcaster was hired as player personnel director. Olympics turnaround The bribery scandal surrounding the Drogram that 2002 Olympics has prompted a fifth ine Rose Bowl, vestigation, this one by Utah's attorney ado. general. ;o the school Jan Graham, attorney general of Utah, nr niorVit con- cnirl hpr inmiirv wnn't hpcnn until thp Salt WA Vlb.I. UVU ..V. - ^0? W*V" W"~ ^places Rick Lake Organizing Committee's ethics pando Jan. 9 to el and the International Olympic Com-v rthwestern mittee release their reports. NATE SAYS... 2 p.m. Jan. Nate says the men's track cuse. and field team is ranked third in the nation, accord. .. ing to the first poll of the \ s. I i i _, year by Trackwire. [an. 24, 1 J ena. Page 7 rgc... ig i I :>V lit f IK MBBfe' 1 m raKJr | f i jP^ ?iiimbi sjPMfe^^S. 2& Jife .JK ~