Wednesday* October 19, 1994
SPORTS
The Battalion • Page 5
‘Role players’
do not deserve
big money
DREW
DIENER
Sportswriler
*
S edale Threatt wants more mon
ey and so does Vernon
Maxwell. Between the two,
they are slated to make $4.2 million
this season. That’s a lot of money.
Now you’re probably asking
yourself, “I’ve heard of this
Maxwell guy, plays for the Rockets,
name shows up more on police blot
ters than in box scores. Guy is
making a hell of a lot of money.
But wait a minute, who’s this
Sedale Threatt dude?”
Sedale Threatt is a journeyman
guard who happens to play for the
lowly Los Angeles Lakers. Prior to
coming to L.A. , Threatt claimed
residence in Seattle, as a member of
the then mediocre Seattle Superson-
ics. He’s by no means a franchise
player, he’s what sports people call
a “role player.” Liike Maxwell, he
plays a role on his team, a minor
role in comparison to that of the
franchise player(s) on his squad.
Sometimes role players get called on
to deliver in critical situations, but
for the most part, their job calls for
them to merely help provide an am
ple supporting cast for their teams’
franchise playerfs).
Now that sufficient background
information has been provided,
allow the focus of this column to
return to the main point- salary
and discontent.
Threatt walked out on the Lak
ers Monday, claiming that $2.5
million is not enough cash to keep
him playing on the hallowed bas
ketball court of the Great Western
Forum. Who does Sedale think he
is? Magic Johnson? Think again,
Sedale. Michael Jordan, without
argument the greatest player to
ever set foot on any basketball
fcourt, would, uud'er terms of his
bdmtract, only be making three mil
lion dollars if he was playing this
season. Granted, MJ makes tril
lions off of endorsements with Nike
and Gatorade, however, I don’t see
any mega corporations banging
down Sedale’s door asking if they
can pay him big bucks to pitch
their product.
Know what that means, Sedale?
That means that you are not God’s
gift to basketball and the sporting
world. Translation: No one, save
maybe your family and friends,
feels sorry for you or frankly cares
if you hold out or not. Sure it prob
ably pisses off the Lakers. They
have been counting on you to suit
up, contribute like a role player
should, and smile all the way to the
bank with your big, fat, undeserv
ing paycheck in hand. But Sedale
Threatts come and go. The Lakers
aren’t going anywhere with you,
and I’m sure they would just as
soon dump you and your inflated
contract off on some other team.
But Lakers’ general manager Jerry
West knows that given your limita
tions as a player, no team in their
right mind, not even the Maver
icks, would be willing to swallow
your salary.
Please don’t take this as a per
sonal attack against Sedale Threat-
t’s game. I have no personal
vendetta against him. He is a role
player, not a superstar. Super-
stars make bones about being paid
2.5 million dollars a year. Role
players keep their mouths shut,
and enjoy every penny they earn.
Two point five million dollars is a
See Diener/Page 6
Netters prepare for Tech rematch
By Tom Day
T hf. Battalion
After playing three nationally
ranked opponents in six days, the Lady
Aggie volleyball team could definitely
use a break. But there’s no rest for the
weary as A&M will take the court again
tonight in a Southwest Conference
showdown against Texas Tech
University in G. Rollie I
White Coliseum.
Earlier this season,
the Lady Aggies were swept
3-0 by the Red Raiders
in Lubbock.
“The last time we played
them, their middle attack
was really sharp and difficult
for us to stop,” head coach
Laurie Corbelli said. “We’re
going to have to really work
on defending that attack.”
In their heartbreaking loss
to Duke University on Mon
day, the team discovered a new weapon.
Middle blocker Cindy VanderWoude
recorded a career-high 17 kills and the
freshman is eager to contribute more.
VanderWoude said excellent
teamwork was the key to he
solid performance.
“The passes and sets were sharp
right off the bat and we finally
connected and it helped me out,”
VanderWoude said.
Junior setter Suzy Wente said the
team will look to VanderWoude to pro
vide a spark against Texas Tech.
"I think the team has done a good job of
keeping things in perspective and staying
focused on what we're trying to
achieve."
—Laurie Corbelli,
head coach for the Lady Aggie volleyball team
“She had a really great game (Mon
day) and we're going to look a lot to
her,” Wente said. “She’s been working
her tail off at practice and it’s really
paid off.”
Corbelli says the freshman is im
proving everyday and is already becom
ing an integral part of the team.
“We need her on the front row right
now,” Corbelli said. “She’s got enough
experience now to go out on the court
and do some good things.”
The Aggies will be looking to end a
three match losing streak
■■■■ against the Red Raiders. All
three of the setbacks have
come at the hands of national
ly ranked teams.
Although the losses are
hard to swallow, Corbelli says
that playing top-caliber com
petition helps in the develop
ment of the team.
“It has been tough, but I
hope it elevates our level of
play a little bit,” Corbelli said.
“I don’t know if we’ll see im
mediate results, but I hope we
see some improvement in
certain areas where we
really need it.
“I think the team has done a good job
of keeping things in perspective
and staying focused on what we’re try
ing to achieve.”
Defensive specialist relishes role
By Jason Holstead
The Battalion
When the 1993-94 Texas A&M Lady Aggie vol
leyball team lost four starters to graduation last
spring, the opportunity for increased playing time
presented itself to several returning lettermen
this fall. One of the returning members of the
Lady Aggies challenging for a spot in the starting
lineup is junior Joni Keister, a 5 foot, 11 inch mid
dle blocker from Amarillo, Texas.
Keister has been a quality spot contributor off
the bench so far this season, playing in all but one
of Aggies’ 16 matches this season. Despite having
to come into many game situations cold, Keister
ranks high on the team with a 2.23 digs per game
average and leads the team in total blocks per
game with a 0.79 average.
Keister said even though the Lady Aggies are
struggling, she feels the team can still have a
successful season.
“I think we are definitely in the position that we
could do that (make the NCAA tournament),” Ki-
ester said. “With a lot of teamwork, really pushing
hard 1’n practices and playing some good teams, we
are getting better. Positive things are going to hap
pen.”
With her increased role on the court as a team
leader, Keister said her personal strengths on the
court are passing and defense, while her main
weakness is attacking the ball in the front row.
See Keister/Page 6
Carrie Thompson/Titr Battalion
Junior Joni Keister ranks high on the team with a 2.23 digs per
game average.
Texas A&M's total yardage
figure of 524 yards against
Baylor last Saturday was the
highest figure by an Aggie
offense since last September
1 8, when the team compiled
51 8 while thrashing the
University of Missouri 73-0 at
Kyle Field. The all-time A&M
record for yardage in a game
is 774, achieved in September
of 1 990 during a 63-14 blow
out of Southwestern Louisiana.
This day in Aggie
football
Women’s golf
team finishes
second in
Kansas tourney
Staff and Wire Reports
In the end, the Texas A&M wom
en’s golf team simply ran out of holes.
Despite tying Oklahoma State Univer
sity for the best score of the final day
of play, the team finished in second
place, six shots behind OSU in the
Marilynn SmitVSunflower Invitation
al tournament co-hosted by Kansas
and Wichita State.
“I’m very pleased with our perfor
mance in the tournament, “ A&M
head coach Jeanne Sutherland said.
“The first round really hurt us, but
we had a really good back nine today.
We had the low round of the tourna
ment yesterday, and we tied for the
low round today.”
In the individual department of the
tournament, freshman Jamie Hullett
paced the Aggies with a three-round
total of 237, finishing second in the
overall standings.
“Jamie had a really good tourna
ment, “ Sutherland said. “It’s just a
small picture of what is to come for
her, she’s a great player.”
Also finishing among the top ten
competitors for A&M were freshman
Isabelle Rosberg(fifth) and junior
Kristina Edfors(seventh).
Rounding out the tournament for
the Lady Aggies were senior Michellle
Kirchner and redshirt freshman Auro
ra Kirchner, who finished 12th and
15th, respectively.
Adjustments to
Blake Griggs/TTic Bai i m.ion
Sophomore foward Kristen Koop (left) drives the ball past sopho
more marking back Allison Buckley.
line-up step up offense
By Stewart Doreen
The Batfalion
Change is good. Just ask the South’s eighth-
ranked women’s soccer team. After hitting a lull
midway through their season, the Texas Aggies,
9-2-2, have made some changes that has brought
back winning ways to Guerrieri’s gang.
“We’ve been looking for the magic formula to
put everything in place,” coach G. Guerrieri. “We
hit a bit of a lull at the Greensboro game. Since
we have gotten back from the trip to North Caroli
na, the girls have come into it with a new atti
tude, which is what we needed.”
The changes in the Aggie line-up are the prod
uct of many factors.
Freshman Bryn Blalack’s move to the front
line has been a big reason for the rise in the level
of play. Blalack, a Parade All-American, has
come back from her August 24th knee surgery
(her third of her career) and moved to the front
line, the squad giving added scoring punch.
Blalack has accounted for five goals in the last
four games.
“We wanted to bring Bryn in to aid us in finish-
ihg aspects of the attack,” Guerrieri said. “Since
we moved Bryn up to the front line, our game has
changed and the level of play has improved.”
It is a move that is helping the Aggies put the
ball in the net and take the scoring pressure off
other forwards.
“The way Coach (Guerrieri) has us lined up
now has had a positive effect on the team,”
sophomore forward Kristen Koop said. “We’ve
been putting a lot more emphasis on finishing
the play. When the opportunity comes up,
we’re converting better.”
A stress fracture to the ankle of freshman
sweeper Diana Rowe has also been a factor in the
line up changes. The injury forced Guerrieri to
move junior Corie Hammers from the midfield to
the sweeper spot. It is a spot, Guerrieri said,
Hammers has moved into nicely.
“Corie Hammers has been doing a great job
and has solidified us in the back,” Guerrieri said.
“She has a cool hand under pressure and distrib
utes the ball very well.”
Hammers’ move to sweeper spot opened up the
midfield line for the return of sophomore midfield
ers Jamie Csizmadia and Sandy Edwards. The
two are both coming off spring anterior cruciate
ligament surgery and giving the team support in
the middle.
The team’s mindset has also been a object
for improvement since the loss at Greensboro.
The loss at Greensboro gave the young team a
mental lesson they have carried into the latest
winning streak.
“It was an eye opener,” Koop said. “It really
caused us to be focused before the game.”
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