European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday april 19, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 21 basketball a 2 As Larry Bird near the end of his career Charlotte s Larry Johnsoa guarding Bird has emerged As a Force. Michael Jordan right is still the Aba s Premier Aba survive changing times by Bill Barnard a basketball writer one superstar is gone another is nearing the end. A third is bitter yet another is grumbling and a fifths near perfect image is tarnished. The Economy is shaky and fans Are wondering Why players already making millions of dollars Are asking for millions More. The Aba after nearly a decade of unprecedented Success is at a Crossroads. Can the growth continue or will the Challenge ahead be merely to keep from falling Back there a still plenty of cause for optimism and the leagues leaders Are justifiably proud of their accomplishments. The Aba directionless at the beginning of the 1980s, leads . Sports leagues in innovative labor solutions anti drug policy marketing and potential for International growth. Commissioner David Stern was voted the most powerful Man in sports by the sporting news and executive of the decade by the associated press. The salary Cap a Strong indicator of league growth because its tied to Gross revenues has grown from $3 million per Loam in 1983, its first year to $14 million for next season. Attendance is up 3 percent and ratings on Abc Are up 15 percent a remarkable jump considering baseball and football Are faced with significant drops in network revenues. Quot there a optimism on the business Side a said Russ Granik Deputy commissioner and chief operating officer. In this Economy since most of the teams sell out to have any attendance increase is cause for optimism. Season ticket renewals Are Strong. We re now in the second year of four year deals with Abc and int. Abc says its making a profit off the Aba in contrast to other sports products. We re 90 percent sold out commercially for the playoffs. A so even if there continues to be an economic downturn it looks like we can weather whether the Aba can weather its superstar woes is another matter. Magic Johnson a retirement in the first week of this season was the first and most devastating in a series of blows to the a bad a Star system. Larry Bird missed nearly half the season As the strength in his Back failed to match the strength of his competitiveness. At 35, Bird could be joining Johnson on the sidelines soon. Hakeem Olajuwon one of a Trio of acknowledged franchise centers burned his Bridges in Houston when he refused to play for the Houston rockets after doctors said his hamstring injury was not serious enough to keep him out of uniform. After a bitter three game standoff with charges and counter charges Olajuwon returned to the court but not before a six game losing Streak left the rockets on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. Olajuwon said when he returned to the lineup that he would not play for Houston next season. Charles Barkley the a bad a resident Tornado uncontrollable and unstoppable on the court and off grew increasingly frustrated and abrasive As the Phila Delphia 76ers faltered in the standings. Barkley 29, could become the biggest Aba superstar since Kareem Abdul Jab bar to do traded if Olajuwon does no to beat him to it or if they Arentt traded for each other. A Chi in Mcharles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers,�?� Barkley said in take 1 of a promotional advertisement before the trading deadline passed. A Chi in Mcharles Barkley of the los Angeles clippers a head ribbed in take 2. Michael Jordan a commercial says a i want to be like Mike a but Jordan has had a series of problems that have gotten him anything but Good publicity. It began with criticism Over his absence at the White House when president Bush honoured the Champion Chicago bulls. It continued with the publication of a the Jordan rules a that publicized his Prima Dona role on the team. Then came Jordan a refusal to allow the Aba to continue Selling apparel with his likeness a a decision Jordan said was to Honor a contract with Nike but that Many perceived As greedy and Money grubbing. Finally a series of image threatening revelations a convicted cocaine dealer was found with a $57,000 Check written by Jordan a Check that both said was a loan bail Bondsman Eddie Dole was shot to death and checks totalling $88,000 were found and another Check surfaced for $25,000 to the former owner of a North Carolina gambling club. Golf debts ultimately were revealed to be behind the checks. A very few people go through their lifetimes without scars a Jordan said after he was cleared of wrongdoing after an investigation by the Aba. A and i went through a six or seven year period without them. Now i have a couple of scars and in be got to mend them and keep moving Jordan said the year could have been devastating for him if the bulls Hadnot continued to dominate on the court. A that would have been another Burden but even so this has been a very maturing year for me a he said. "1 would have liked to mature in a different Way. In be been portrayed As an ambassador of basketball. A but 1 done to want to be in a position where whenever there a a controversy \ have to speak for All the players. That a not a responsibility in a really seeking it s a responsibility that should be shared by a lot of if the Aba is to continue growing the responsibility will certainly have to be shared since no one of the stature of Jordan or Johnson or Bird is on the horizon. David Robinson Larry Johnson Tim Hardaway and Sha Juille of Neal will have to do. A hopefully the sport is Strong enough that there wont have to be a superstar of the Caliper of Michael Jordan Quot Granik said. Quot occasionally we will have that Good Fortune a this is the end of an Era with magic and Larry. There a no question they added an element that s incredibly Golden state s Don Nelson who coaches two All stars in Chris Mullin and Hardaway said a a superstar system is in place and More will step up to Lake the place of the current stars Quot
