European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 7, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday february 7, 1967 the stars and stripes Paga 23 commentary Navy s athletic policy is adrift by Reading inc sports pages Over he last year you would think inc naval Academy is More inter ested in turning out athletes Anil millionaires than officers and gentlemen the athletically inclined midshipmen should slay in the Navy for the length of their commitment usually five years. If they think they still have a Chance at the pros they should try out for a team be in Aba nil or whatever after they finish serving their country. Roger Siau Badi is living proof that it can be done. Phil Mcconkey is playing proof that in can be  the Navy wants to ignore Hal. It wants David Robinson in the Aba Napolean Mccallum in thenal. It wants it now Secretary of the Navy John Lehman decided Mccallum should t be based in Atlanta but in califor Nia instead where i just so happens the los Angele raiders have convenient freeway Access of him. Then comes the news Surprise Hal David Rob Inson is too tall to serve in the Navy and his original Active duty commitment of five years will be cur tailed to two years of Active duly in the reserves. Thai Means he ii probably through another Lehma loophole find an enticing and expensive Aba port Tim Boivin in the storm. Of course Mccallum and Robinson will be Worth much More As a recruiting advertisement playing in the pros than they would navigating ships or Cheek ing boiler rooms. But last i heard we weren t having trouble recruiting people for the armed forces and the service academies have Lough Competition bang ing at the doors 1o gel in. Why the sudden ail important need advertising or otherwise to gel Alliese Al Leles into inc pros before we let these iwo big fish off inc Hook so easily let s not forget the Money the american taxpayers paid to educate them to be military offi cers. When thai Money was spent it was Wilh the full expectation that these two would fulfil the taxpayers Trust by serving five years As officers. And it should be added with no strings attached just like the other midshipmen do. Robinson wont and Mccallum is dividing time Between the Navy and the nil and i would i look for he raiders no. I punt returner to be  to an aircraft Carrier off the coast of Lebanon any time soon. As for Robinson he had a Chance to Transfer from the Academy after his Sophomore year As All mid Shipmen do. After much speculation he decided to stay. He was already past the maximum height for submarine duty and the like that Lehman cited in curtailing his commitment. Nothing was said of that at the time and you can Only wonder if Robinso knew something we did t. Yes Robinson is the Best College basketball player in the nation. But he s also shortchanging inc Ameri can taxpayers by taking the free naval Academy education and getting an earlier shot at the pros than he should have without serving five years like every other Annapolis Fuad. Its a Samk at a time when most universities Are bailing out to Cut Back the excesses prevalent i collegiate athletics that the Navy is sailing off in the opposite direction. Here s hoping the skipper of inc Shin drops Anchor to Check inc Longitude and Lati tude of his decision before resuming his course. The slur ind sir frit Walt Frazier the ultimate Cool cat Byl Daberkow new York n it the memories of Wall Clyde Fra Ier playing Hise Lilly exciting basketball for the Nicis tonic Back in a flood for any fan especially now the Day after he has been Clec cd to the basketball Hall of Fame. There was the time he hit this clutch shot with one second left to win the game the time he threw Hal pass or came Down with thai rebound or made Hal steal to turn the game around. And of course there was the seventh game of the National basketball association championship series in 1970, when Wilh Willis Reed ailing Frazier scored36 Points grabbed seven rebounds and added a sensational 9 asst Sis As theh Nicks won their fir ii title he ran the offence it s Clyde s Ball Reed once said. He lets inc rest of splay with in  Bui inc game thai Sticks out in this reporter s memory is one in which replayed against the kicks. After 10 years with two championship learns in new York. Frazier was packed off to the Cleveland Cavaliers As compensation for a free agent Jim coca Mons on oct. 3, 1977. Frail it. Al 32, was past his salad Days and the team chemistry had changed. He was distraught he had built his life in new York and now Learned of inc Deal second hand and was incommunicado for several Days before reporting to the lowly Cavaliers. Shortly after he returned to Madison Square Garden this time in a strange uniform. When he was announced before the game the rolling cheers nearly brought the roof Down. Cool Clyde showed customarily Little emotion. But he was pumped. He scored 2fl paints and made five steals As he cars won in overtime 117-112, As the Buzzer sounded ending the game Cool Cool Clyde thrust a Fin in the air and leaped and yelped and raced off the court Wilh the crowd again cheering madly for this special opponent. But he would t have Many More great Basic shall Days and he never quite seemed to heal from a stress fracture to a fool or from Hii sudden departure from new York and an Hough he Hung on for a few More seasons he would never again be the f racier we knew. His easy is Etc made it seem to Somei Lial he was t always trying As Haid As he ought to be. Some said that he could make so Many steals became he Pittu a and if he missed Well there was Willisk cd Loback him up. Commentary Bui Frazier was Clever As a defensive player. He would for example Lull a player into a sense of Security. He would capture inc rhythm of an opponent scribble. And although he could make the steal now he might of crime to wait Lousette steal off the dribble for a crucial to men i Laler in the game. Thus those clutch late game snatching a. One player he had trouble with How Ever was Lenny Wilkens who ironically was one of those who was nominated for the Hall this year but did t gel he required number of votes. Once before heading off to do a piece on Wilkens Ilion the coach of Seattle i asked Fra ice if he had a question he d like to ask him. You know. Wilkens was a lefty and he always went left said Frazier. But could never Slop him. Ask him  i did. He always knew 1 was going left explained Wilkens bul he never knew  Frazier delighted in inc response. Frazier was Able to Laufik at himself and in Hal Way although he greatly enjoyed the world of the Star in Manhattan could retain some perspective. Despite his Pink Eldorado the Cly. Demo Licand his Black Mink Coal and his wide wardrobe of  and kicks an suits including the Black Cowskin suit with poncho and Silver stud there were moments when Frazier could still be seen As the kid who grew up in Atlanta inc oldest of nine children he and his brother Keith the youngest were the Only boys in the family. Walt helped his Mother diaper and Cook for the babies and then went into the schoolyard where he Learned to dribble an erratic basketball thai kept bound Ingoff Cheslones. And he was inc Euy who did t sulk and quit when he did i make grades Andrusi eligibility for a time Al Southern Illi Nois. Instead he played Wilh inc varsity Only on defense and Laboured so hard at it that he would become a Superb defensive player. And when he came to the Knicky after having led Southern Illinois to the a Liimol imitation tournament Champi a Nihil in l%7. He seemed lust in inc big ii and on a team in disarray. Ik1 a often afraid u snoot. But with Ilic help of a be Couch. Red Tot Man. Or Asir regained Confidence a career opened up. Am he would he rated among the he guards Ever with Mowrar Robt re Ken. Jerry Walt no it holds i kicks jury during Liis retirement  in 1979. West and Boh corny. A re or once milled a Lime lie i he picked up two i k hitchhiking in Llic Cass Kilk. Where in had a basketball Camp. The Kuli a iffy were Aboul 12 or13 san into tie White leather scots of ins i Ubillu tin weft mining from playing Baik Mihall and were very i Uiel. Of Yut a of Dinu they knew who i  recalled Fra it. Bul they did t say any thin Cool cats. I did t say any thing either. I mopped in ii-1 Itu a  Thi j thanked me fur Ilic ride. As tonne away i saw them in Ili rear View Mirror he said. " 1 hey  jumping up and Down my slapping Palms. Ool Cass id the end Wanh his election in tic Hall of fume Clyde Fra Ier. Us ultimate Cool cat canmm1 Furj Ivaly slap Palms too