Augusta focus. ([Augusta, Ga.) 198?-current, July 11, 1996, Image 12

Augusta focus., July 11, 1996, Page 12, Image 12

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Newspaper Page Text12 July 11, 1996 Sir Charles back on centerstage Somehow, someway, NBA All- Star Charles Barkley always manages to find himself at the center of a public relations hurri cane when the Olympic games roll around. I know “The Chuckster” enjoys all the atten tion and hype, but his lawyers and advisors (to say nothing of his Nike sponsors), must grimace at the chances this Auburn Uni versity product takes almost ev ery time he ventures into the public eye. Trouble has always seemed to find Barkley’s address but, to be fair, not all the crazy situations Barkley encounters is by any fault of his own. That is, unless you count walking out your front door each day a major character flaw. Barkley, by being an NBA mega-star and a two-time Dream Team member with an attitude, knows he is a very big target for the con artists and knucklehead pranksters of the world. Case in point. Last Saturday in Cleve land, just one day before Dream Team 111 beat the Brazilian na tional team 109-68 at Gund Are na, Barkley and Indiana Pacer guard Reggie Miller went out to a local nightspot in the city by the lake. Unfortunately for Sir Charles, Jeb Taylor, 23, from Spencerport, N.Y., was in town as well. Jeb, according to some Minor league football Stone Mountain rallies to beat Augusta By Hal Lamar When he watched his team give up a touchdown in the opening mo ments of the first period, play lack luster throughout most of the first half, score just before the halftime whistleand then haveanextrapoint blocked, Coach Jeff Hanson knew his next stop was a hill on the north ern end of Medlock Field nestled in the middle of a residential area of Stone Mountain. It was time to read the riot act to his 39 gridders. The team had it coming. Just the weekend before, they had easily beaten the Augusta Sem inoles 19-6 in Augusta. “They played well on the road, then came back totheir home turfand were not getting it done,” said Hanson following the game. “I told them that they were on the verge of losing at home. That got to their pride.” It also resulted in 22 unanswered points in the second half and a 28-7 win over the scrappy Seminolesin a rare July 4th midday contest that drew about 300 fans. The Seminoles, who came to play football this Independence Day, proved it quickly. On a 3rd Uit Jel el S [™™ = = m e e mmm eeemSe ee e e ee mm eßeem e e e e e e ee em [ i Lk . : Please enter my subscription to Augusta Focus : : [ 1 Circle term: 1 year $24.95 2 years $34.95 3 years $44.95 | [ I I Name : i Phones ..~ : : : Address_ﬁ_________*_____"_*_________“ ! I ity i 'State Zip_ : | Check Enclosed Bill me | [ I : Augusta FOCUS, P.0.80x 1282, Augusta, GA 30903 : A ey =8 Try breakfast from the menu =N on Saturday mornings at BL’s Restaurant 1117 Laney-Walker Bivd. | (706) 828-7799 AUGUSTA FOCUS ‘Timeout | ~ With Tony (! reports, allegedly had a little bit too much to drink, and made a very bad decision in challenging Sir Charles, both verbally and physically. Although both bas ketball superstars had security men flanked around them, a skir mish soon ensued. But, luckily for young Jeb, no serious blows were thrown. According to Mill er, Charles was not at fault. Dream Team 111 head coach Lenny Wilkens called the matter moot, but has advised all Dream Team members to exercise good judgment when venturing into public places during the games. Fellow Olympian Karl Malone ofthe Utah Jazz respects Barkley and 6 at their own 39 with about 3 minutes elapsed in the first quarter, Augusta quarterback Eric Leverett found the Pirates’ secondary napping and uncorked a6l-yard bomb tospeedy wideout James Stone who snagged the pass atthe Pirates 30 and outran defenders into the end zone. The stubborn Seminoles sec ondary kept the Pirates at bay until the final moments of the first half, when Pirate starting quarterback Wendell Reynolds put together a 10-play, 59-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 19-yard touchdown strike to Gajuan Roberson. But the point after attempt was blocked by some great play from the Semi nole special teams which forced Pirates assistant coach Mike Frazier to grumble, “We've got to work on special teams.” After Hanson’s halftime “pep talk,” the Pirates returned to the field and hardly resembled the same squad that played so slug gishly in the first period. Nicki Gunn, the 20-year-old former sensation from Smyrna’s Campbell High School, replaced Reynolds as quarterback and Sports Focus as a talented player and a great person, but apparently feels Barkley’s attitude, in regard to always feeling free to speak his mind, isnot always positive. Karl Malone has been known to put his foot in his mouth as well on several occasions, but that’s an other commentary for another day. Back to the Barkley follies. In 1991, Sir Charles was in volved in an altercation in Mil waukee with a weightlifter, just months before he would take the court asa member of the original Dream Team, during the 1992 summer games in Spain. What’s the problem with Charles? Well, first off, he’s a no-nonsense type of guy from the small town of Leeds, Ala. Being from a small town is a positive, but being a conservative, “tell-it-like-it-is” African-American male with millions to burn, turns out to be a negative for some Stone-Age dwelling members of the Good O’ Boys’ Club of America. Barkleyis alsoone of the original “macho men” of the NBA, mean ing you don’t offend the 6-foot-6, 240-pound power forward when ladies, his teammates, or the media are anywhere around. Barkley has mellowed over the years, but the same fire that makesthis future Hall-of-Famer one ofthe bestin the game today, still burns brightly. Barkley is a showed plenty. After both teams traded turnovers, Gunn put his speed and scrambling ability to work, polishing off a 7-play, 58- yard scoring drive with a 30- yard run from scrimmage behind some great offensive blocking. He finished the day with 53 total rushing yards and was 2 for 7 passing attempts for 16 yards. Reynolds returned to the line up and, aided greatly by a defen sive turnover, promptly took ad vantage with a 14-yard strike to former Griffin Colt wideout Earl Barnes. This time, the offense made up for the extra point snafus and successfully convert ed on a two-point play. Just before the game ended, the defensive forced Augusta to turn the ball over a third time in the halfwhen defensiveback Dee Wright stepped in front of an errant Seminole pass and trot ted unmolested intothe end zone for the Pirates’ fourth touchdown of the afternoon. Frazier, a former high-school and college quarterback and wide receiver for three minor league football programs, is more than pleased with the Pirates’ quar- man of immense pride. He has fought for everything he has ever acquired in life, from his career on the hardwood right up to the lucrative super-star status he now enjoys in the endorsement and commercial arena. Luckily for Wilkens and the members of Dream Team 111, Jeb Taylor has decided not to press criminal charges against Charles. Such a move, no matter how base less and unfounded, quite possi bly could have jeopardized his spot on the U.S. Olympic team. How, you ask? Well, if Barkley were found guilty of assaultin this case, the currnt Phoenix Sun could have been ruled in direct violation of the U.S. Olympiccommittee’s code of conduct. Taylor does plan to go after some of Barkley’s millions in civ il court. After all, isn’t that the American Way? Lure a sports millionaire into a fight, take a lick and a kick, then call your personal injury attorney. Cleve land police report the evidence in the case does not supportJeb’s assault charges, so perhaps Sir Charles won’t have to cut a check after winning another Olympic gold medal this summer in At lanta. That’s a gold medal in bas ketball, and not boxing, just in case you were wondering. Tony Cornish Jr. isa free-lance sportscaster based in Augusta. terback twosome. “They are gonna be the pivot for ustowin a lot of games,” he said. “Teams we play better be on the alert,” add ed Hanson. “Because we will score when we get the ball.” This Saturday night, the Pi rates will get a big test of that offense when they travel to Hun tington West Virginia to take on the West Virginia Hawks. K s Y -v s LB ‘ ’ / ",“f‘."yngg - 6 AM - 10 AM e SPORTS RADIO % 1480 AM G The 1996 Public Family Fitness Weekend will be stopping in Augusta AUGUSTA The Publix Family Weekend is making its next stop in Augusta, Georgia which offers a variety of year-round fun for sports enthu siasts. One week before the Olympic Gamesin Atlanta, beau tiful Augusta will host an Olym pic distance Triathlon in the Gatorade Series July 12 - 14. Featuring the chosen Publix age group of 20 - 24-year-olds who will go out with the elite wave and compete for a SIOO shopping spree for the first place male and female. The one-mile swim, twenty-five-mile bike and four mile run course will challenge athletes with hills, heat and hu midity. The Holiday Inn-Augus ta will serve as the “official host hotel” for the first FFW in Au gusta. This is the second year the seriesis being hosted in Geor gia. The second Georgia week end is slated for September 13 - 15 in Jekyll Island. The Augusta weekend starts on Friday night with the Gatorade In-Line Skate Race. The three-mile race will be held onaloop course at the Riverwalk at 7 p.m. The Zephyrhills Sunset Run will take place along the Savannah River in downtown Augusta beginning 8 p.m. The run will feature a 5k road race FOCUS your religious news or special announcenients in the Amen Corner. Call 724-7855 or fax 724-6969. with the finish line at the Riverwalk pavilion. The’ Gatorade Sprintkids Triathlon will begin at Lake Springs Park with a one-mile swim on Satur-, day morning at 9 a.m. On Sun-' day, the Gatorade Triathlon will;l begin at Lake Springs Park with a one-mile swim in Clarks Hill Lake at 7 a.m. Athletes will then bike 25 miles on a loop course through Columbia County. The, four-mile run will travel along the Lake inside the park. USA Triathlon has designated the' Augusta Gatorade Triathlon al the Georgia State Championshiz Triathlon Registration and Ex position to take place at Lake Springs Park on Saturday from 5;. - 8 p.m. The awards ceremony for the Triathlon will also take; place at the park at 11 a.m. on, Sunday. 0 Exclusive Sports Marketing, Inc. (ESM) would like to thank the following people and organi-, zations for their help in present ing the FFW in Augusta and Columbia County: Ms. Tammy Stout and the Greater Augusta Sports Council, the Augusta’ Richmond County Convention &" Visitors Bureau, the Columbia: Sheriff’s Office and all the vari-’ ous volunteer groups for the" event. :