European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday Agni 24. 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 25 heat has risen from frustration to first playoff by Steven wine Miami a the Miami heat reached the Aba playoffs in four Short years. To Rony Seikaly it took forever. A we went through hell to get Here a Seikaly said tuesday. Miami once lost 17 consecutive games scored just 65 Points against Boston and lost by 47 to the los Angeles lakers. That All happened in the first six weeks of the expansion teams existence. Seikaly was a Rookie then. So were Grant Long and Kevin Edwards. The Trio is now an important part of a team that will take on the defending Aba Champion Chicago bulls in a Best-of-5 first round series beginning Friday night. A we were Here when things weren to so Good a Long said. A we battled our Way through the heat won just 57 games in the first three seasons and Progress came slowly. In its first year Miami finished last in the Midwest division. A year ago it was last in the Atlantic division. A so Many heartbreaking losses a Seikaly said. A it seemed you kept climbing this big Mountain and sometimes you a think a i can to make it to the a the Victory total increased each year a from 15 to 18 to 24 a but not quickly enough for impatient Young players. A the first year we lost a lot of games but we were just Happy to be in the Aba a Long said. A we were sort of in Awe. A the second year we decided we had a Chance to win games yet we did no to know How to win them. That a what got for a time it seemed that Miami would never win. Its 0-17 Start was the worst in Aba history. A i really done to remember it a Seikaly said. A i done to know How i went through Miami reached 100 Points for the first time in the fourth game when Jon Sund Vold hit a 3-Pointer at the Buzzer. Fans at Miami Arena went wild even though their team still lost by 21. A a Milestone a said Sundvold a ninth year pro who missed most of this season with a neck injury. A for the fans when you re a new team everything is something special. They used to play a done to worry be Happy at the end of each game Ana the fans would cheer even though we lost by 20.�?� the first edition of the heat was lovable and laughable. Edwards who led the club in scoring with a modest average of 13.8 Points recalls watching Arsenio Hall and Johnny Carson poke fun at the team. Still the a bad a youngest team Miami Isnit that far removed from amusing a in december the heat lost by an Aba record 68 Points at Cleveland. But Miami won 38 games 14 More than Ever before and just enough to find out what the playoffs Are like. It beats watching them on to which is what Seikaly used to do. A a you a see the lakers or the bulls and you a say a gee we be been on vacation for a month and these Guys Are still playing. I wish i was part of a a we re finally attacking the air Chicago coach Phil Jackson guides his heavily favored bulls and Michael Jordan through a workout wednesday in Deerfield iii., As the bulls were preparing their playoff opener Friday against Miami. The 1992 playoffs got underway thursday night with four games. See Page 24 for the schedule and tomorrows paper for Points toward olympic Promise by Ron Jensen staff writer Furth Germany a As part of his track training in Lamarque Texas Joe Barb would run the 2yi Miles to High school school each morning. Following him on Many of those Days would be his Mother Joyce. A a she a be in the car right behind a says Barb who a assigned to the 8th my co. A that was a big mrs. Barb died in 1987, but she is still right there behind her son offering inspiration so that the same legs that took him to school will perhaps carry him to the olympics. A i promised myself id make the olympics. I never got to Tell her a save Barb. A she encouraged me to never give up. Anything you do never Barb is leaving Germany this week for the Allamy track and Field training Camp at the Presidio of Sari Francisco Calif. His specialities Are the 400 meters and the 1,600-meter relay events that he won last year at the armed forces meet. Besides another armed forces Gold medal Barb 22, is hoping to land an olympic tryout. To do that he must Complete the 400-meter race in a time of 6.01 seconds or better nearly a full second faster than his personal Best of 46.96 seconds. A i think i can do it. In a pretty confident a he says. Barb has been working out with a German track team around Niernberg. At the tryout Camp he will be under the Tutelage of a russian coach who Barb says should be Able to help him Cut his time. A a in be been training hard a he says. Quot right now in a in the military and its difficult. I do a lot of shift running has been a Joy for Barb since he was 6 years old. The feel of the wind As his legs carried him faster and faster caught his fancy it was just him against his own abilities his of n discipline. Quot i hate to lose a he says. Team sports can be lost by someone else. When defeat comes in a foot race there is Only one person to blame. Quot i really believe that and that a Why i stick to track and Field a Barb says. His athletic ability and his mothers words kept Barb from a Fate that befell others in Lamarque. One of his close friends died of a drug overdose and others were involved in drugs. Quot i did no to party like the other kids. I did no to do drugs Quot he says. Quot i know what it can do to you. You done to need that Barb still does no to drink. He does no to smoke. He is dedicated instead to living up to the dream his Mother held for him. One Day. She told him you will be famous. That Fame could come on the olympic track. Probably not this year Barb admits. Quot hopefully �?T96," he says. Jne bar another basketball tourney Springs up in a town by the stars and stripes basketball two weeks after the army in Europe settled on its unit level Champion the 21st Talcom is setting out to determine its company level King. Tip off for the first game in the four Day tourney for menus and women a teams is 9 . Monday at Kleber gym. The event ends thursday. For More information Contact Glenn Pietras at ets 483-7617 or 8103. Mountain bicycling a registration deadline is thursday for a 25-Kilometer German american Mountain Bike race at the Kaiserslautern Rod and gun club in Vogel Weh at 10 . On May 3. Registration fee is $10 before thursdays deadline and play local sports Able at the 29th area support up outdoor recreation department. Late registration is possible Between 8 30 and 10 on race Day for $15. Every participant will receive a to shirt at Check in and the top three finishers in each sex and age category will receive trophies. For More information Call ets 483-8897. Distance running registration began monday for the 4th annual coast to coast run at Iraklion As Crete the race which attracted 125 runners 250 walkers and 25 bicyclists last ye3r, is May 9, and the course which rum from the Island s North coast on the sea of Crete to the sea of Libya on the South coast is 15 Kilometres for runners and 18 Kilometres for cyclists. A $10 registration fee covers a to shirt or tank lop and transportation from the air base to the race starting Point. Proceeds go to support a local girls orphanage. For More information Call Toma card at Dan 668-3945 or 668-3446
