European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 22 a the stars and stripes saturday june 20, 1992trials off to jazzed up Start by Mary Foster new Orleans a leave it to new Orleans to add a splash of spice. The . Olympic track and Field trials got under Way Friday and the City opened things up Early with 1,400 entertainers fireworks bands and a jazzed up Louisiana version of the National Anthem. The thursday night ceremony to kick off the 10-Day schedule of events a the first of its kind at any olympic trials a competed in scope and spectacle with those of the olympics themselves. A 300-member All Star gospel choir opened the ceremony and was joined by the Zion harmonic cars. A 400-member dance group also performed. Rita Coolidge and new Orleans music legends Clarence a frogman Quot Hymy and Marva Wright were the featured singers. New Orleans Singer Raymond Myles was Given creative Freedom with the National Anthem and decided it should be less traditional and More a reflection of the City a musical heritage. Quot the music is almost the same but its a Tittle More gospel and Jazzy a Myles 33, a music teacher at John Mcdonogh senior High school told the times Picayune. Myles was to be accompanied by six singers and five musicians. Myles who normally wears Gold and diamonds for his performances dispensed with his usual finery in the mid-80 humidity. Myles is a regular at the new Orleans jazz and heritage festival. A jazz and gospel Singer he performed at is foldout shows in Madison Square Garden in new York As an opening act for Harry Connick or. This Spring. Organizers had promised a spectacular event Complete with the traditional March of the athletes fireworks and a Mardi gras style Parade featuring huge floats. About 1,000 athletes were trailed by about 5,000 Blue jacketed officials As they paraded around the stadium to the strains of traditional new Orleans music from first Henry then Frankie Ford and finally Percy Humphrey 91, and Willie Humphrey 84, of preservation Hall played and Sang a when the saints go marching the sponsors of the event had promised to deliver a trouble free production but hit some snags. The press Box which is to House almost 200 members of the Media was without air conditioning thursday will awesome Shaquille break the magic Bank by Bill Barnard Portland Ore. A the presence of Shaquille of Neal in the Aba draft eliminates any doubt about who the no. 1 pick will be this year. The Only question is whether the Orlando magic can sign him and have enough Money left to pay anyone else who can play Aba basketball. A a we la do the Best we can for him a magic president Pat Williams said. A we have Only so much to work with. You can t win with one Good player or if one or two players dominate the Cap. You have a limit on what can be of Neal a agent Leonard Armato says he will not comment before wednesday a Inlet a 1m rth stir Lin m nights draft in Portland on his clients Ilary fated about a multiyear contract average satay demands. But reports have circus ing $5 million per year which would be More than one third of next seasons $14.2 million salary Cap. Of Neal appeared to be Happy after the Aba lottery determined Orlando would get the first pick. A a in a thrilled that Pat Williams was so excited and sincere about the possibility of having me on the team a the leu Star said. A i was particularly Happy to see the people of Orlando so complimentary towards the people of Orlando and team management might not be so thrilled if negotiations turn acrimonious. But magic Johnson who has been working out with of Neal this Spring and Calls him a an awesome Talent a predicted of Neal would insist on a High pay scale relative to recent no. 1 picks. A a in be always said the veterans should be paid first for what they be done and the rookies after that a Johnson said. A but once they started paying no. 1 picks like Patrick Ewing David Robinson Derrick Coleman and Lany Johnson All this Money it kept going. Now its too late. Shaquille wants his along with the other superstars like Michael Jordan and magic Johnson in recent years have not demanded to be paid their Market value because they realized doing so would ruin their chances of winning More championships neither Jordan nor magic Johnson has Ever made $4 million in a season because there would t be enough Money left under the salary Cap to pay their supporting casts. A you can to pay Michael Jordan what he a Worth a Williams said. A the understands that and realizes he can make millions More off the court. This has allowed the bulls to build a championship club around him. A we done to want to disrupt the club and in a sure Shaquille feels the same Way. He wants a Good club around that statement by Williams could prove to be Wishful thinking once negotiations Start. The Charlotte hornets with two Young stars in Larry Johnson and Kendall Gill Shaquille of Neal. Reaching for big Bucks seemed almost relieved they did no twin the no. 1 pick again in the lottery. Two straight years of High stakes bargaining might have been too much. Instead they Are elated to have the no. 2 selection and a Chance for a talented Center. That player is Alonzo mourning who is probably As athletic As of Neal Only in a 6-foot-10, 240-Pound package that is 3 inches and 50 pounds smaller. Mourning says he patterns himself after previous Georgetown centers in the Aba a Ewing and Dike be Mutombo. A a Patrick a been my Mentor since his freshman year when he played against North Carolina for the Mcaa title a mourning said. A a in be tried to pattern my game after his with his hard work and tenacious defense. He a been beneficial to me and Minnesota picking third is expected to take Christian laettner who led Duke to four final four appearances and two National titles. Quot i like Minnesota and id be very Happy playing there a laettner said of the Timber wolves whose 15-67 record was the worst in the Aba. A wherever i end up ill be laettner a College Center at 6-11, 250 pounds said he believes he is better suited for Power Forward in the Aba. A i think in a a perfect 4-Man Power Forward a he said. A a in a probably a Little bigger and heavier than most 4s. I can play Center not against Robinson Ewing or Hakeem Olajuwon but then who can a Jimmy Jackson a Junior from Ohio state is considered the Best guard Prospect and probably will be taken fourth by Dallas. A if i get taken anywhere in the top four or five ill be satisfied a Jackson said. A my dream has always been to be drafted and play in the Aba. For a Long time it was a dream and now its closer and closer to becoming a Denver which has two picks in the first round is believed to be deciding among Power forwards Adam Keefe of Stanford a Aphonso Ellis of notre Dame and Tom Gugliotta of North Carolina state. All three will be available with the nuggets fifth pick and will be gone by the time they select again at no. 13. Other candidates for Early selection Are Harold Miner of Southern Cal Walt Williams of Maryland Malik Sealy of St. Johns and Don Maclean of Urcla. Anthony Peeler of Missouri May slip Down because of Legal problems that were resolved last week w its unlikely he will fall out of the first round. Williams at 6-8, is projected As a Small Forward shooting guard or Point guard which forces upon him the inevitable comparisons with magic Johnson a 6-9 Point guard. A magic made that Mark showing everyone that a 6-9 Guy could play the Point and Guys like Steve Smith Are continuing to prove it a Williams said. Quot there Are lots of big Guys who can Han re Ltd the Hall kill Korae Monva Plum n die the Ball but there More to playing Point than being Able to handle the Ball you have to have instincts knowledge o the game and you have to know when everyone is on the court at All after Denver a fifth pick the rest o the first round order Nas Washington Sacramento Milwaukee Philadelphia Atlanta Houston Miami Denver Indi Ana the los Angeles lakers the los an Geles clippers Seattle san Antonio de troit new York Boston Phoenix Utah Golden state the clippers Portland an it Chicago. Nil trial players Freedom is. Owners Money Minneapolis apr the strategy of both sides continues to emerge at the antitrust suit by eight players that could decide the future of the nil. The players emphasize Freedom. The owners emphasize the wealth of the players. That was the theme thursday As guard Dave Richards of the san Diego chargers and quarterback Don Majkowski of the Green Bay packers took the stand. Majkowski and Richards Are two of eight nil players suing for free Agency in an antitrust action that challenges plan a the system that allows each team to protect 37 players each season and allow the others to become free agents. All eight were protected in 1990, the year they filed the suit. As they have in the first two Days of the trial the Pla ers emphasized their Lack of Freedom to test their value on an open Market. The owners emphasized the Money they made to the All woman jury of nine none of them of High income. With Majkowski for example they emphasized his salaries of $1.5 million and $1.7 million the last two seasons when he was limited by injury the $1,218 million earned in four seasons by Richards. Richards a one time High school All american in Dallas detailed a career that included three years at sum and one at Urcla after sum was Given the a death penalty by the Mcaa for recruiting violations he said he would have liked to have played in h Hometown for the cowboys but never got the Chance he was passed Over in the draft by Dallas picked b san Diego in the fourth round in 1988. He has Starte every game for the chargers since his Rookie season. A As a result he has been protected under plan b an forced to negotiate Only with the chargers each Yei his contract has been up for renewal. I m not unhappy in san Diego but i want to hav the right to test my Market value a Richards said. 1 Felt the restrictions placed on me As a player degrading and
