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THE BATTALION
MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1980
The last season — Steve ‘Sly’ Sylestine
Mr. Hustle: a crowd pleaser
By TONY GALLUCCI
Sports Editor
“You know, whatever happens, if
coach feels I can come in and do a
good job — well, I have confidence
in myself — I just know I can come in
and help when I’m called on to do it.
I just try to get out there and play as
hard as I can, play good defense, get
a loose ball if there’s a loose ball to be
got. ’ They’re his own words and
they’re the best description of just
what Steve Sylestine is. ‘Sly’ to his
teammates and friends, is a dilemma
of sorts. He is an Aggie crowd
pleaser. He is, perhaps, what many
people would like to think the ‘ideal’
college athlete is really like.
Sylestine is best known tor his
giving 110 percent on the court, his
mad dives for loose balls, his gent
lemanly behavior. In the words of
assistant coach Barry Davis, “He’s
just a great competitor.” And head
coach Shelby Metcalf says, “He’s
not an exceptionally talented athlete
but he make up for it with hustle.
He’s paid the price. He’s gotten
where he has by giving his all, both
at practice and in the game, and he
lives a good, clean life. He 11 do any
thing we ask him to. He can go in
and score or he can go to the boards
if we need it. Every team needs a
Sylestine.
But now, in his senior year, Syles
tine sits on the bench more often
than not. It is perhaps the greatest
of tragedies that the good guys lose
some. The Aggies with their most
talented squad ever must look to
those people who can perform the
tasks at hand but can still only put
five men on the court at once. Met
calf says, “He’s a good second guard
and we feel like he is most effective
against the zone. Problem is David
Britton is also a second guard and is
also effective against the zone and
has been playing well lately.
Sylestine is undaunted. Being the
competitor he is, he knows that the
only good effort is a team effort and
also knows, if only subconsciously,
why he is most valuable as a sixth
man. He plans to go into coaching
and says, “I want my kids to always
play hard. They may not be the best
athletically but I’m gonna put the
ones out there that try the hardest
and can still get the job done.”
Sylestine, 21, played high school
ball at Clear Lake High under re
spected coach Bill Krueger, from
whom he might have picked up his
enthusiasm for the game. “He stres
ses the fundamentals form the early
part of the program. He wants the
kids to come up with a good funda
mental basketball background —
not relying as much on their athletic
ability as the basketball skills he de
velops, says Sylestine.
Or perhaps it was in his blood all
along as his dad is the junior varisty
coacb at the same school. “I played
under him (his father) for one year.
Of course, he was there at every
practice and every game we played.
He would always give me hints or
helpful criticisms,” said Steve.
At Clear Lake, he was captain of
his team that went to the 4A re
gional tournament and ended with a
37-4 record. He was all-district,
all-greater Houston and all-state and
played in the Texas All-Star game.
Why did Sylestine choose A&M?
“I liked the background they had
here for the basketball program,
they had just won two consecutive
conference championships, and I
was impressed with the coaches and
Cain Hall. I’d been hearing alot
about Aggie Spirit and all that
played a part in it,” Steve said. His
dad, Boyd Sylestine said, “It’s a
good school. I hope he came here
for a good education.” And Steve
agrees, “I think I definitely bene
fited from the Wildlife school (he is
majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries
Sciences) and that’s one of the major
things I wanted from A&M.”
With Sylestine’s contribution
A&M has now worked its way into
contention for the Southwest Con
ference title. “If we keep playing
like we have been — play good team
defense, run our offense well, work
for good shots and pass the ball well
— if we just keep those things going
we ll get to where we want. The
main thing is for us to win the confer
ence championship. We all want
leave with those rings on our fin
gers,” he says.
Despite playing only a third the
time he gathered all of last season,
Sylestine has improved his free
throw percentage, hit more free
throws, has more rebounds, is av
eraging fewer personal fouls, and
has more assists and blocked shots
than last year. And he has come up
with more steals than in any of his
previous three seasons. T’ve kind of
played on-again, off-again. I’m not
always real happy with my play and
I think I can stand a lot of improve
ment. I’ve gone through this type of
thing before here at A&M — a
slump, or whatever you want to call
it — but I think I’ll come out alright
before I leave.
As a freshman he started in 15
games on a team depleted by gradu
ation and suspension. In that first
season he had his career high game
of 17 points against Texas and his
career high rebouding game of 11
against TCU. He is close to that
form this season, hitting 14 in his
best game against North Texas State
and pulling down nine rebounds
against Pacific. Seven seems to be a
lucky number for him as he was
seven-for-seven from the field
against NTSU and Saturday against
Rice he was seven-for-seven at the
line in piling up nine points and
hopefully ending his ‘slump.’
Plans for the future? “I’ve been
playing basketball all my life and
I’ve been around a basketball fam
ily. I just couldn’t see myself leaving
it? So I’m going into coaching,” he
said.
Metcalf says, “He’s given alot to
A&M.” I asked Steve what had he
given to his school?
“Hopefully I tried to be more
than an athlete. I tried to be just like
any other student at A&M — to get
into the tradition that A&M has to
offer. I wanted to be a student and a
sociable person.
Steelers outpass Rams
United Press International
PASADENA, Calif. — The
Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room
was joyous but not chaotic follow
ing their fourth Super Bowl
victory in as many appearances,
and that more than anything else
tells the story of their remarkable
success.
The Steelers, you see, expect
to win. They know they have the
very best of personnel in the
NFL. When they win, they re a
happy bunch but they keep it all
in perspective. They won the
Super Bowl last year and they as
sume they’ll win it again next
year.
On Sunday, against a stubborn
but outmanned Los Angeles
team, the Steelers came up with
the big play when it counted and
and the Rams didn’t. Pittsburgh’s
31-19 triumph Over the dogged
Rams in Super Bowl XIV gave the
Steelers a legitimate claim to the
title of the greatest team in pro
football history.
The Steelers, sparked by a
spectacular 73-yard touchdown
pass from Terry Bradshaw to
John Stallworth and a key inter
ception by Jack Lambert, won
their fourth NFL title in the last
six years when they rallied in the
final period to defeat the 11-
point underdog Rams.
The unprecedented fourth
Super Bowl victory did not come
easily. The lead changed hands
six times before Bradshaw finally
put the heavily favored Steelers
ahead to stay with 5:04 left in the
game on the spectacular TD
bomb to Stallworth.
“Everybody’s been shooting
for us for the last eight years and
it the‘victory’came against the
Rams — who we had never be
aten, said Bradshaw, named the
game’s Most Valuable Player,
“It’s quite a remarkable collet
tion of athletes. ”
Bradshaw, 31 and a 10-year
veteran, said, “I felt more pres
sure than at any other time. ’ He
said the pass to Stallworth was a
"60 prevent slot hook and go, a
play developed only a week ago
“1 ran the pass eight times ia
practice and I didn’t like if, butil
worked today,” Bradshaw said
“This is my most satisfying Super
Bowl.”
Victorious coach Chuck No!
said, “This victory is probably
the best we’ve ever had, as he
accepted the Super Bowl trophv
from NFL Commissioner Pete
Rozeile.
“But mostly, I hope I’ve given the
bit _
people here a little bit of excitement
during the games and maybe
they’ve gotten a little bit of enjoy
ment out of it. Maybe I’ll have some
more to offer before it’s all over
with. ”
You have, we have and we hope
so. You’ll be missed.
BUY, SELL, RENT, ANNOUNCE
Battalion Classified Pulls!
PHOTOGRAPHERS
WANTED!
The Battalion is hiring a limited
number of staff photographers for
the spring 1980 semester!
Experience with B/W processing, printing
essential. Portfolio requested.
Contact Lynn Blanco, 845-2611
Rm. 216, Reed McDonald Bldg.
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SPRING RUSH
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is entering its third year at Texas A&M. YJe are
looking forward to this year's Spring Rush with great expectations. For
those not familiar with Sigma Alpha Epsilon, commonly called SAE's or
Sig Alphs, we have the nation's largest number of initiates in over 45
states. Founded in 1856, ours is the first fraternity to have a national
headquarters.
SAE maintains a strong policy against physical hazing based on realiz
ing each individuals potential for growth in the SAE experience.
For more information call:
693-5292
696-0913
Unite
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MCDONALD’S
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DRIVE-THRU
SERVICE
At University Drive
At Manor East Mall
A.
The SOA
Tournament
The backboards were busy at
the first annual Sports Officials As
sociation Basketball Tournament.
This friendly Aggie competition
was created by students’ sugges
tions and the help of the IM Advi
sory Council. The men’s contest
was a double elimination tourney
of 16 teams. The women’s compe
tition was Round Robin. Two
teams have come out victorious
this year.
In the men s finals the Agg Ties
faced up to Magnum Force and de
feated them 61-43. The Agg Ties
were lead by Jeff Barrett and Jeff
Toole and had a very capable
group of good roundballers.
In the women’s finals, the NBA
with a 1-1 record squared away
against the undefeated SS Ex
press. The SS Express, motivated
by leading players Debbie Layton,
Tami Darce, and ball handler Bev
Tedford held on to a 25-20 final
tally.
SOA wishes to thank all players
and officials for making this tour
nament a success.
Corner
corner - ?
Need a Job? Then come by the
Intramural Office and learn to of
ficiate. We have openings for offi
ciating the following sports this
spring: Slow Pitch and Fast Pitch
Softball, Soccer, and Inner Tube
Water Polo.
Flexible hours are available with
games played weekday evenings
and all day Sunday. Pay rate is
$3.10 per game.
Anyone interested should con
tact Dave Kerr in the Intramural
Office or call 845-7826.
For The
Record
IP 1
This season’s basketball entries
exceeded the previous record for
entries of 600 teams even before
all the late entries were totaled.
Last semester 13 IM records
were broken — four in archery,
two in long driving, five in swim
ming, and two in cross country.
Free Throw
Notice
The freethrow special event will
be held Sunday, January 27 from
7-10 p.m., GRW Main floor. Mark
the date on your calendar and tie a
string around your finger.
Pool Hours
To answer inquiries, yes, the
winter pool hours have been set
and will be in effect from now until
March 1.
Outdoor Pool
M-F 12-1:30 p.m.
Indoor Pool
MWF 6-7 p.m.
T-Th 6-10 p.m.
S&S 1-3 p.m.
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Touche’! Fencing entries are available for Mens’ and Womens’ Foil.
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Sports
Shorts
Fencing
In the style of chivalry and the Three Musketeers, IM presents the
annual fencing tournament. Entries open today, January 21 for both
men and women and close Tuesday, January 29. Competition will be
in foil and the A&M Fencing Club will officiate.
You Know It’s A Good Day When —
Th<
Your new shoelaces for your tennis
shoes are the right size.
You find one more person to round
out your team roster.
You find out there’s more than one
star on your basketball team
You find just the right partner
play doubles with you.
It doesn’t rain out your import*
game.
Table Tennis
Table tennis singles open today and close Tuesday, January 29.
Equipment is provided. Divisions are men’s and women’s. Games
are to 21 points and a match is the best two out of three. So come on
out and swing your paddles.
/"'N
DEC
Intramural basketball play began Jan. 16. Teams interested
in practice time should see the Intramural Checkout for res
ervations, 845-2624. Times are set aside for Fridays and
Saturdays only.
Acknowledgements
This ad is sponsored by your loc
al McDonald Restaurant Uni
versity Drive and Manor East
Mall. Stories by Michelle Wol-
stein, Pictures by Gary Reyes.
entries closing:
Freethrow
Handball Doubles
Entries Opening:
Fencing
Table Tennis Singles
Special Events:
Freethrow
Tuesday, January®
Tuesday, January®
Monday, January'
Monday, January ‘
Sunday, January 27, 7:00 p" 1
^