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The Battalion
Page 7 • Wednesday, January 22, 2003
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Misplaced Loyalties?
Slocum’s actions disloyal to team, warrant response from coaches, teammates
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In his two seasons with the Texas
■&M men’s basketball team, Andy
■ocum proved himseli to be an impos-
iig threat on the court.
I Standing 7 feet tall and weighing in at
i-ound 260 pounds, the junior center
■om West Monroe, La. provided the
livel of rebounding support necessary for
A&M to compete in a conference as
di minant as the Big 12.
I Unfortunately for the Aggies, it is
npw uncertain whether Slocum’s servic
ed will be available for the rest of the
21)02-2003 basketball season following
■1 alleged off-court incident that led to
h s arrest this past weekend.
I Even more unfortunate is the poten
tial damage done to the trust between
Slocum and the coaches and teammates
Who frequently applauded his leadership
nd hard work both on and off the court.
The young center quickly became
known within the A&M basketball pro
gram for his strength and toughness, boast
ing multiple strength records and returning
to the court from injuries to both of his
hands, his left shoulder and his back.
Still, Slocum’s arrest for allegedly
possessing steroids will likely overshad
ow many previous accomplishments in
the eyes of most.
Oddly enough, it would appear that
this view has not spread to Slocum’s
coaches and fellow players. For the time
being, those within the men’s basketball
program have chosen to remain relative
ly quiet, for better or worse.
While it is no doubt important to
show a certain level of loyalty to some
one who has given no previous reason
for concern, attention should be paid to
just how detrimental actions outside the
sports arena can be to a team that is
working diligently to improve.
Despite only possessing a 1-2 confer
ence record thus far, head coach Melvin
Watkins’ Aggies (9-5 overall) have
shown significant improvements from a
year ago. The last thing the team needs
at this point is an outside distraction and
the loss of a key player.
In his defense, Watkins suspended
Slocum following the weekend arrest but
seemed to sidestep the greater issue at
stake, as evident in a quote from the Big
12 coaches conference.
“Athletes are not immune,” Watkins
said. “You talk to your team about it and
stay clear of things, but they’re students
and they’re teenagers, and you know
dealing with teenagers can be tough.”
Certainly, dealing with young people
involves challenges, but an alleged
felony possession of steroids has to out
weigh the everyday problems of a young
person.
While it might be true that athletes
should not be held to a level of expecta
tion beyond that of any other student,
they should at the very least be held to
the same level of expectation.
Andy Slocum is a young, college-aged
individual being accused of a serious
crime. He doesn’t deserve to be aban
doned entirely by those around him — to
imply such would be ridiculous. On the
other hand, it is doubtful that the incident
will be fully overcome without the A&M
basketball program honestly and publicly
acknowledging the severity of the situa
tion at hand.
JOHN C. LIVAS • THE BATTALION
Center Andy Slocum playing against UT on Saturday hours before being
arrested on felony drug charges.
exas Tech coach Knight closing in on 800th career victory
By Doug Tucker
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
E If Bob Knight had stuck with his best sport
instead of the sport he most enjoyed, somebody
else might be leading the basketball revival at
Texas Tech.
|| Knight, meanwhile, would be packing up the bats
and balls and preparing to head for spring training.
‘/ grew up in a town that from a sports stand-
int was almost exclusively football- and base
ball-oriented,” said Knight, the winner of three
NCAA championships.
“But when I first started playing basketball, it
was a game I enjoyed more than all the others. 1
actually played baseball better than I played basket
ball,” Knight said. “But (basketball) just fascinated
me, and it still does. As long as it does, I don’t see
any reason not to be involved with it.”
It’s a natural time for the 62-year-old Knight to
be looking back over a colorful, successful coaching
career that started at West Point in 1965 and brought
him to Texas Tech in 2000.
Heading into this week, he needed just two wins
to reach 800.
“Really, I have not given it any thought,”
Knight said Monday during a conference call with
Big 12 coaches.
“I can remember the first game my team ever
won. I have no idea who my team beat for No. 500
or No. 700 along the way. It just never meant any
thing to me,” Knight said. “I’ve gotten upset when
I lost. When we won, that’s just kind of what I
thought we were supposed to do.”
After a falling in overtime to Oklahoma Monday
night in a nationally-televised game, the Red
Raiders will host Oklahoma State on Saturday.
And while he may scowl and glower and get
upset, Knight will be doing what he loves.
“I just really enjoy the game. I enjoy basketball,”
Knight said.
“I’ve always enjoyed what can be done with bas
ketball. It’s like something you can continually kind
of tinker with and fiddle around with and think
about and work with.”
Coming in with Oklahoma State will be a very
familiar face to Red Raider fans. James Dickey, who
was fired two years ago to make room for Knight, 1 is
now a Cowboys’ assistant coach.
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Student Health Services
Do Your Parents Bleed Maroon???
Health Education presents
If they do bleed maroon, then why not come by the
WeigM Management S&tm
Parents' of the Year informational to learn how you can nominate
them for Texas A&M’s Parents’ of the Year for 2003-2004!!!!
Meeting Stats:
Cwsses Offenev even* monp/w ok Tuispw
FOR 6
Date: Wednesday, January 22
Location: Rudder 50!
JanUAR* 27 * m/WCM M, 200?
Time: 6 p.m.
*4:00 - 5:00 P.m.
Nomination Criteria:
To register call 847-8910 or come by room 008
You must attend the informational in order to nominate your
parents! You do not only have to nominate your parents’.
of A.P. BeuteJ Health Center.
Feel free to nominate someone else’s parents!!!
Enrollment is limited and available for A&M students only.
Any ??????’s
Deadline to register is Friday, January 24.
Call Jesse-LaRou Walsh
Home: 693-2766 Cell: (512) 587-7532
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