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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1984)
Daily Nebraskan Wednesday, January 18, 1034 (7 I I ' J li I ' ' f Pago 0 0 stirs C By Terry Hylsnd It's getting to be just like old times for Iowa State basketball coach Johnny Orr. The Cyclones are 11-3 and Orr could be on his way to establish a winning tradition in Ames. Orr guided Michigan to a 200-113 record during hi3 12 years as head coach and built the Wolverines into a national power. His teams wen two Big Ten championships, finished second three times and his 1976-77 team was voted No. 1 by the Asso ciated Rress. But when he took over the head coaching duties at Iowa State in 1930, success became an elusive goal In three years, hi3 teams won 32 and lost 50. "It was hard to lose at first," Orr said in a telephone interview. "It was tough to go from winning many games to not winning a lot of games." In victory or defeat, Orr has enjoyed great popularity and sup port. The Iowa State basketball press guide calls him one of the most popu lar men in Iowa. He is introduced at home basketball games with "Here's Johnny!" and the The Tonight Show theme. Orr uses words like "tremend ous" and "fantastic" to describe the support of fans, administration and alumni "IVe never been disappointed since IVe come here (to Ames)," he said. "IVe never seen a coach treated like IVe been treated." Orr said building a winning team in his first three years with the Cyclones was difficult because he was new to the school. : "The toughest job is the recruiting," d "" """"N " ;':::X::::: P'1"-':"' 'M G David Pcrtca Sr. 5-10 8.8 1.8 G Eria v;;::i.-ss Sr. S-2 7.2 Z.Z C DaveHcppen Zx C-11 15.2 7.0 F Cl:n.C!:. Cr. -4 14,2 C2 G J;:fH3rf.:::5t Zx -3 11.1 3.1 , -i ?n U'" '' " ' - 4 V.- I it:: ..'.:v: '. .... ...J.Xf,t.:& f . .. J. si:..-:::: ,:.yvl i YS vx '" ' .... . - x,. x . ' :, .' ' 't "' 4 ... . , J . - , 4 Yciones into Ict73, State Cc-ch he said. "When you're not in an estab lished program, it's hard to get good players." Orr said he sees no difference in the competition or style of play in the Big Eight as compared to the Big Ten. "S :: n i j . ' 'i:: State-Iowa gimo on tekvlion, "end I'ra not sure our team is rr. : an cnou -h r 2 t n ovt t o p h y I o wa f t ?. te; t h it's a s -'yy 1 K ;";::.:':'--:::':0::':-: "-i f" ; x':--- .4 ... . a I' jU! "WilJI Lc-.dLnrf the; Cyclones are junior; fonvurd Barry Stevens, the nation's ci,w,hlh-!.:cdmg scorer with a 25.0 av.T;,e, and sophomore guard Jell II: rnr.ct'.c(l 1.1 avera?). Senior for vrrd He a H:.rrb, hov.'t-ver, has the .uiijti chanjs.g';-;tc?r,r.- that of pen. Harri3 i3 our best defensive ply f r, ind hell prctr.b'y front Hempen v.hns DavM !!.s sarr-hbd h:m,,? Jlndrix The G-3 Hrrij wuard- :cT;y is mcftes m rseirtterxh time.: Iff lis X:vXvziz3 pccrlaby d;r.5 t: :r-ith2t::;"l:.:r r ' 1 i T i - .,, 1 - - M i- .. f t - I fc, i. . . 4 , " :'.'?... -r- .r.-V' iv'.,:::.i.'y Ji i.-.m. . . wfc-ijl;: .: - A t. ... . Xi. V . d k. ' "- - v;v .,4 C- ' t ' 'ft "'"T '? t ' t ,V.".r ' ;: h::j a C".:d .l::rt thli ! r : " ::icr.ltl,:y11ccrr;jhhtre with "::x- rT "'v - - 4- - 1 f--W::."!:---ji' s- f " f -j': :;.;:::;::-:,.:x;. 4 i , - , i--...i. :: : V u t: .:c, if y.-u c: "1 L -1 1 ll::rc:l..i 0. I, i " i 1 "- . contending Iowa Zz. C porta Ir.fsrnutlon Jehnry Orr There was a dilference several years ago, he said, because of the absence . of "big men" in the Big Eight. But 1 players like Nebraska's Dave Hoppen, Oklahoma's Wayman Tisdale and former Missouri center Steve Stipa- Smokin ' Jos ss Ms sm to avenge past losses toAli The Marvis Frazier-Larry Holmes heavyweight championship "fight" is now history, and it seems to be an event of history that sportswriters, sportscasters and both Holmes and Frazier would like us to forget. But history, among other things, is a learning experience. From that boxing Matthew Stelly match we can learn much about the sport, but even more profoundly, about the thought processes of a former hea vyweight champ who would force his own son to assume such an awesome challenge. Marvis' father, Joe Frazier, raised himself from poverty to the world hea vyweight champion by the time he was 24 years old. However, after winning the title for the first time, Joe's smoke only came in thin wisps. He made a pathetic attempt at a comeback, but ex-convict Floyd "Jumbo" Cummings pounded him back into retirement at age 38. Enter his son, Marvis. But Marvis wasn't ready. The media knew it, Holmes knew it, and it didn't take very long before Marvis eventually got the point. Before the fight, Holmes told the media that Marvis was trying to please his father. Holmes also stated that the elder Frazier was a fool for signing for the fight. While he was a sparring partner for Muhammed Ah" in 1974, Holmes recalled getting to know Mar vis, who at that time was 12 years old. Holmes said, "I don't think Marvi3 ever had the desire to be a fighter, but as he got older, Joe would make him put on exhibitions. Joe would hit him, knock him out, then hold him up. team novich have remedied that situation. Orr credits his team's success this season to experience and confidence. "We think we can win the games now," Orr said. "Before, we didn't think we could." He said outstanding performances from all the starters, especially lead ing scorer, forward Barry Stevens, - ha3 also boosted the team. Orr said he has no timetable for suc cecs at Iowa State. But he u optimis tic about the Cyclones' chances for a Big Eight championship. "Iowa State is a contender," he said. "Oklahoma was a good game for us. (Iowa State defeated Oklahoma, 74 63, last Wednesday.) I think it's going to be an exciting year in the Big Eight." He said the key in tonight's game . with Nebraska will be how well the Cyclones can stop Hoppen "We're very similar to Nebraska," he said. "We play very hard and we play a team game like Nebraska." Whether Orrwiil build a national basketball power at Ames remains to be seen. Orr said the Cyclones are improving and are able to hold their own against basketball powers like Boston College (which beat Iowa State by two points) and Iowa (which lost to the Cyclones Saturday, 76-72.) "We're very competitive now. We're to the point where we can compete with most of them (other teams)." , Orr has six years left on his current contract. He said that he has not decided what he will do when his contract expires. For now, he said he is concentrating on a winning season and building for the future. "Marvis tells you he wants to do it, and he might be able to train with somebody else. Marvis Frazier ain't Joe Frazier; he can't fight the same way Joe could. I know if he was my son, I wouldn't put him in there." But Joe was convinced that his train ing and preparation were enough to enable his young son to defeat Larry Holmes, an undefeated heavyweight champion. I think Joe was trying to USE Marvis to avenge his losses to All After all, does Holmes not have a style similar to that of Muhammd's? And is it not true that Holmes defeated Ali? Perhaps, according to Joe's thinking, by defeating Holmes, he (by way of Marvis) would also be defeating Ali One need only research the bitter feud between these two men to know that such speculation does include some very basic facts. Ali was partially responsible for Joe's "demise." The three Ali-Frazier fights w ere significant if for no ether reason than the fact that although Joe man aged to "win" one of them, in all three he received an extensive beating not by blows to the body, but blows to the face and head. Ferdie Pacheco wrote, "Frazier is not like AIL He fought with his face. Like the French Army at Verdun, his motto was 'attaque, toujars I'attaque' and like the French Army, he paid the price." In my view, that price was being robbed of a great deal of his thinking capacity. But don't take ray word for it, listen to what Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, the "fight doctor" wrote in a November 1931 New York Times article: "The scars on the brain begin to bite into the brain tissue. Function is im paired Speech is the most recogniza ble sign. Does Muhammad Ali speak today as he spoke in 1971? . . .