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Come Play VOLLEYBALL Live Oak Nudist Resort Washington, TX (409) 878-2216 $g50 •Dotoy TUESDAY Al Seats (Discount Tuesday) Features Page 10 The Battalion Tuesday, March 6,191 Battalion Classified 845-0569 MANOR EAST MANOR EAST MALI. 823-8300 m REVENGE* E3 H 7*0 9*0 g The Art of Dunking ** SWC basketball teams well-acquainted with game-stopping shot PLAZA THREE ues< | 228 SOUTHWEST PKWY 883-2457 | HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER * BTEUA« , 531 DRIVING MISS DAISY * R 7*0 0:45 PG« 7t1» 0*0 PG 7:10 9*0 SCHULMAN SIX I 2000 E. 29TH STREET 775-2483 | oowNrowH l:. :: :; gg pG >dS0 0^0 AUSTIN (AP) — There is slam ming, jamming, flushing and chunk ing. ' 1 here are 360s, reverses, wind mills and cradles. There are stupid ups, super boosters and unlimited springs. And there is shame. Most ot all, dunking provides a chance to inflict shame. $1 DOLLAR MOVIES $1 ALWAYS mmmm BACK TO THE FUTURE n* - LOOK WHO'S TALKING* CHRISTMAS VACATION PG 7:10 9*5 PC 7*0 0*0 PG-13 7*5 10*0 O WILL YOU BE GONE OVER SPRING BREAK ? MSC Political Forum ABSENTEE VOTE On Mon.-Fri. 8-5 at the following locations: MSC Room 138 (Rep.) MSC Room 146 (Dem.) * CSISD Administration Offices 1812 Welsch “In a game, when a guy talks noise to me, it makes me mad,” says Texas Christian forward Craig Sibley, who has 31 dunks this season. “I want to dunk on him. Like Oliver Miller. .PCM.a 7:t6 9*6 He’s always talking.” “The bigger the guy is, the better it is to dunk,” says Baylor forward Julius Denton. “One guy I like to dunk over is Oliver Miller of Arkan sas. He’s so big and so cocky.” “It adds flamboyance, flair and charisma,” says Southern Methodist coach John Shumate. “I love it,” says A&M coach John Thornton. “I think it’s one of the most exhilarating tilings you can do to a team — if you can do it.!’ Milam Elementary School 1201 Ridgedale * Bryan Court House Texas Ave & 6th St. IT'S FREE! All you need is your Brazos County Voter's Registration Card For more information call 361-4124 TODAY ©AY! Steel Magnolias (PG) 3 Academy Award Nominations 7:00 9:15 Hard to Kill (R) 7:30 9:30 War of the Roses 7:05 9:20 POST OAK THREE 1500 Harvey Road 693-2796 Born On The Fourth Of July (R) 8 Academy Award Nominations 8:00 MADHOUSE (PG-13) 7:30 9:30 NIGHTBREED (R) 7:15 9:15 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES Wednesday, February 1 “The Study At} A Panel Discussion Feat 206-12:30 to 2:00 pm Experience” dy Abroad Participants Thursday, March 8 - Evans Library 204C -12:30 to 2:00 pm “Eastern Europe’s Transition: The Case of Czechoslovakia and Romania” Presentations by: Dr. Betty Unterberger, Professor, Department of History Dr. Dinu Giurescu, Visiting Professor, Department of History Tuesday, March 27 - Rudder Tower 601 -12:00 to 1:30 pm “Internationalizing Higher Education” A Presentation By: Dr. William H. Mobley, President Texas A&M University Wednesday, April 4 - Rudder 404 - 12:30 to 2:00 pm “A Jordan Fellowship - The Experience of a Lifetime” A Panel Discussion Featuring Former Jordan Fellowship Re cipients Tuesday, April 24 - Rudder 504 - 12:30 to 2:00 pm “The Senior Fulbright Award - A Door To The World” A Panel Discussion Featuring Former Senior Fulbright Awar dees Sponsored By: THE FACULTY SENATE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS SUBCOMMITTEE THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION PHI BETA DELTA INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY “When you’re losing,” says Texas Tech guard Jerry Mason, “it’s just another layup.” Attitudes on altitudes. Some coaches don’t like the dunk. Former Texas coach Bob Weltich re portedly once told a player if he missed a dunk he should just keep on running. Some tolerate it. “I don’t have anything against a good, solid dunk, a sound dunk,” says Texas Tech coach Gerald Myers. “When you go in double- pumping, twisting, show ing off, I don’t like it. Maybe the fans like it.” Some coaches like it, more so if their teams could do it. “We’re land lubbers,” laments Shumate. “My phi losophy? Don’t miss it.” Some plain love it. “I think it’s the greatest shot in basketball,” says Ar kansas coach Nolan Richardson. “Any time they have a chance I want them to flush it.” It’s fraught with danger. Aside from the assortment of sprained an kles and twisted knees — lessened somewhat because players can pro tect themselves by hanging on the rim — Shumate tells of the pickup game he played as a high school stu dent oh a New York City play ground, in which a dunker was un dercut and fell to the asphalt, breaking his neck. At Robert Morris College in 1984, center Roy “Dunkenstein” Dudley, slamming in practice, caught two teeth on the net. Made the dunk, lost the teeth. But danger’s not why the shot was banned in the college game in 1967. With the emergence of giants like Lew Alcindor, the rule-makers feared it would become too easy to lob it inside to the big men, who would score at will. In 1976, the dunk was back. In the Southwest Conference, its role is mixed. Most teams have dunk drills, in which the front-line players practice going strong to the basket, dunking balls in rapid succession. Some teams, like SMU and Texas Tech, don’t have a dunk play in their Battalion Hie photp The art of the dunk, Texas A&M style: Former Aggie forward Winston Crite (left) and current center David Harris (above). repertoire because they don’t feel they have anyone who can handle the job. Houston has four plays. “But we don’t hardly run them,” moans Cougars forward Darrell Mickens. Most of the dunks you see in the SWC are on breaks, rebounds and inside moves. Impromptu stuff. All the called dunk plays are lob passes inside. TCU has guard Tony Ed mond lobbing to the 6-6 Sibley, whose vertical leap couldn’t be mea sured, TCU officials say, because their weight room only has a 12-foot ceiling. “The dunk isn’t the hard thing,” says TCU coach Moe Iba, “it’s get ting the ball there.” Assuming a team has a leaner with control and good hands, me play works in two situations. Against a man-to-man defense, the dunker uses a screen or cutback to break for the basket. Against a zone, a three- point threat helps because it spreads the zone out, making it easier to screen the middle man in the zone and free the cutter. And ... “Somebody has to go to sleep,” Myers says. Myers says the best way to deter the lob is to play the passer. “When he picks up the dribble,” he says, “you stick him.” “It wouldn’t work but about twice a game. Then teams start scouting it. Teams hate to be dunked on. They might spend more time preparing for stopping the dunk than your of fense.” Texas’ fast-break style and three- point shooting would seem to create plenty of opportunities for dunks. But they don’t. Even two of the teams who aren’t looked at as dtink- ers have outdunked the Longhorns in Austin. Texas Tech outslammed Texas 5-2; Baylor 6-2. “It’s not really a big dunking con ference,” Denton says. “It’s a three- point conference.” “If you get hot and hit two or three in a row, you can break some one’s back,” Tech’s Myers says. “I think the three-pointer is replacing the dunk as the home run of basket ball.” ‘T he other night we had a kid hit nine (three-pointers),” Iba says. “It changed the ballgame around. The dunk is still a two-point shot.” “The dunk doesn’t hurt as much as it used to,” Texas coach Tom Pen ders says. “The three-point basket hurts more. We teach our kids that, if someone dunks, to just blow back down the floor while they’re cele brating. In New York it seems a good pass is just as important (as a dunk). It may even drav^ more cheers.” Enough. That’s mostly coaches talking. Listen to a player’s opinion. “I think it’s still the dunk,” saji Blanks, who sports “U Dunk F plates on his black Corvette. “Well damn. I don’t know. It’s close. “Not as much stakes rides on tk three. The three has not yet readied the level of the dunk in terms ofes citement. People say, ‘So what, lit missed the three — it’s a 20-fooi shot.’ The dunk is as sure as rain When you miss, that’s when even one goes crazy.” Won’t anyone speak out positive!) for the dunk? Yeah, you with tlie polka dot hankie. “The three-point shot is a nice play, but people don’t get as excited as when you flush.it,” Richardson says. “They have signs for it. Lookat Louisville — they’re getting KS pet- cent of their figto!goals from dunks Eighteen percent!” Seventeen percent is the actual figure — that’s still a little better than one in six baskets — and it's enough for fans on the loge level at Freedom Hall to display cardboard ‘D’s at a record rate this season. SWC teams aren’t that prolific,® if they are, nobody’s counting. TCI is the only conference school that keeps track of dunks. Houston did before Phi Slamma Jarnma wasdeac tivated and Tech also did at one time. Most don’t because their com puter programs for statistics don't include a category for dunks. Branch fired from coaching at Lamar Valvano contract buyout possible BEAUMONT (AP) — Tony Branch, who had a 7-21 season and an overall mark of 19-37, was fired as Lamar University head basketball coach on Monday with two years re maining on his contract. Dr. Billy Franklin, university pres ident, said, “We will be working with him in the next couple of days con cerning his future relationship with the university.” Franklin said in two years under- Branch “things have not developed as quickly as our program needed them to happen. Coach Branch has ed nil conducted himself professionally and has recruited student athletes who have represented this university responsibly. “The program has not shown the kind of improvement that one ex pects in the second year. As the cen terpiece of the university’s athletic program, basketball requires major improvement, and it must be accom plished on a fa^t track without com promising the program’s integrity,” Franklin said. The school hopes to name a new coach by the end of March. “Since our athletic director’s posi tion is open (Dr. Sonny Jolly re signed in January), as we recruit for a basketball coach, if we find an indi vidual who could fill both positions, then that option is available,” Frank lin said. “We will put together a small group of people as soon as possible to assist us in the recruitment for the head-coaching job.” Branch, 32, replaced Tom Abate- marco in April 1988 when Abate- marco went to Drake University. Branch has been an assistant at Lamar, Tulsa, Purdue University, Manhattan College and the Univer sity of Louisville. He was co-captain of Louisville’s 1980 national championship team. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Coach Jim Valvano’s lawyer left North Carolina State Monday after proposing a contract buyout labeled as “very difficult” by one uni versity official wrestling with allegations of point-shav- ing. Art Kaminsky, Valvano’s attorney and agent, re turned to New York after discussions over the weekend with N.C. State officials of a possible buyout of Valva no’s contract. Valvano has not been personally impli cated in allegations that some of his players shaved points for money, but has come under fire to step down as head coach. Valvano said he had not met with school officials to discuss his contract on Monday. “I have not been involved in any discussions, and there weren’t any today,” he said, heading into practice Monday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum. Junior guards Chris Corchiani and Rodney Monroe said N.C. State counsel Becky French met with Wolf- pack players Monday, but they would not discuss the meeting. “That was just between the school and players,” Cor chiani said. He said he would consider leaving N.C. State if Val vano leaves. “I would definitely have to reevaluate my situation,” Corchiani said. “You play for a university and you’re used to its support. And when you see your coach not getting that kind of support, you wonder if it’s all worth it.” Calls for Valvano’s dismissal began after ABC News reported last week that four players conspired to fix as many as four games during the 1987-88 basketball sea son. That report came after an admission by former Wolfpack center Charles Shackleford that he accepted nearly $65,000 while a student, in violation of NCAA rules. Shackleford has denied any role in point-shaving. And Valvano insists he knew nothing of point-shaving or improper payments. “Mr. Kaminsky had come to Raleigh, requested to meet with the university officials concerning the possi bility of Mr. Valvano’s resignation, and he presented a proposal to the university which was veiy difficult lor us to respond to,” said George Worsley, vice chancelloi for business and finance. Valvano attended his team’s practice Monday, but said only that he hasn’t been involved in any discussion! about his contract. Worsley would not say how much money Kaminsb proposed to settle Valvano’s contract. The contract in cludes a buyout provision that requires the universityto pay Valvano $500,()()() if he is dismissed for anything short of a felony conviction or a finding that lie person ally was responsible for a major NCAA violation. Sources close to the negotiations said the school isle- gaily obligated to pay Valvano $875,000 if he is fired ot asked to step down. The Charlotte Observer reported Monday. Kaminsky has proposed a settlement of be tween $500,000 and $600,000 and that the school has offered $106,000, the coach’s base salary for one year, the newspaper said. The newspaper also said Valvanou due $250,000 from a Wolfpack Club trust fund anda $ 125,000 annuity. Worsley would not comment on the report or sat what amount would be acceptable to school officials. “The university has a very straightforward contract he said. “I don’t recall the contract mentioning any an nuity ... (the $500,000 buyout) would only come about if Mr. Valvano is terminated. There’s been no dis cussion with Mr. Kaminsky about terminating Mr. Val vano’s contract.” The contract allows Valvano to terminate it during the 30-day period after the regular basketball season ends. But it requires him to pay the school $500,000ii he leaves to coach in the NBA or at a Division I basket ball program. Worsley said no further contract talks were sched- tded with Kaminsky or Valvano. “I’m planning to go to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, and Mr. Valvano’s planning to coach Worsley said. The basketball -tournament opens Frida) in Charlotte. Despite calls for Valvano to resign, Valvano’s sup porters said he should stay at N.C. State. Ch. Sa KRESS thousar tires an lot of gi pretty n cept the But 1 Bunny little rac Rank ampng Bunny shining the stel Stallior breedin “He \ alive,” f equestri siring hi Bunn i he ch< foals ar winners But it perforrr >ng enth "He i stood at there’ve standim In 10 finish li times a; earning: One c ended t SPORTS Only the Battalion has sports writer Vince Snyder, and only you can read his stirring thoughts on the sports world. Whether it’s horseshoes or high jumps, Snyder’s your man. Read his column in Wednesday’s Battalion. 1