The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - November 6, 1989 - Page 3

Malone
*The NBA All Star speaks of his relationship
with Frank Layden and his off-court personality

Richard Eisen

'

With the NBA season starting
last Friday, the Daily brings you
special delivery direct from Utah -
The Mailman - Karl Malone. In
the 1985 NBA draft, the Utah Jazz
made Malone the 13th pick of the
first round. Last year Malone
captured the All-Star MVP award by
leading the West to an All-Star
victory. Although he's friendly and
quick with a smile, he won't hesitate
to throw his weight around on the
court. In his Salt Lake home,
Malone also owns a private zoo of
rare pets.
Malone wears his friendship for
former Jazz coach Frank Layden on
his shoes. The heals of Karl's Nike's
read "Frank." Recently, Malone
spoke with Daily Sports Contributor
David Schechter.
Daily: Besides being The
Mailman, you're also known for
your famous hand motion after you
slam or make a great play. How did
that come about?
Malone: You know, I don't like
to go out and find something new to
do, but I play with a lot of emotion.
I think when I do that it's not
showing anybody up. I'm doing
something inside myself. I'm not
yelling at nobody, or nothing like
that. I do that for myself and the fans
and my teammates. You know, John
Stockton told me a couple times,
"Karl, you gotta do something to get
us pumped up, and get us going."
So when I do that, I feel like it's
ust a part of getting us pumped up.
's like I'm sort of a different
person. When I'm on the court, I'll
do that.
I've been in L.A. a couple of
times driving around, and people see
me in the next car and that's what
they do. You know, you're not
embarrassed, but you feel different.
SAnd I'm like, "God, do I really do
wthat kind of stuff?" So I do that for
the fans and myself, not to show up
any of the other guys on other
TRAINERS
continued from page 1
Hours of
time spent
with pursuit
of a career
in mind
and will invite the interns to try it
themselves.
"These are not always things that
someone here would do, but it's an
option," Burton points out. "We're
trying to emphasize marketability
with these students."
Interns then have the opportunity
to put what they learn during these
sessions into practice while they
work with the university's various
athletic teams. First-year trainers
work under the tutelage of one of the
university's nine hired certified
athletic trainers. This usually means
working with higher-risk sports
because that is where the certified
trainers are needed.
After an intern has proven to the
training staff that he or she is ready
to move on, he or she will be
assigned to work with a lower-risk
sport alone. This daily interaction

with the athletes can often lead to a
unique relatonship.
.Cynthia Alvarez, a junior who is
a first-year intern, is a former walk-
on track competitor. Now she works
in the general training room with
ultrasound and taping, but, she says,
"I feel closer to the athletes now
than I did before, when I was
running."
Because of this closeness, trainers
often have access to information
about the athlete that is unknown to
his or her own friends.
Consequently, it is very important
that a trainer exhibit responsibility
in keeping records confidential.
Because of this, every candidate for
the program is scrutinized carefully.
Students usually sibmit
applications in the spring, along
I~rII th thrPP l tt* re o

teams. And I feel like other people
know that. Because, they never say
anything negative in the papers
about a hot dog, or nothing like
that.
And the fans love it. Because the
fans have a good time with it, and
we're in the entertainment business.
That's what I like to do. It just
happened one game and I just did it
'I don't like to go out
and find something
new to do, but I play
with a lot of emo-
tion. I think when I
do that it's not show-
ing anybody up. I'm
doing something
inside myself.'
and ever since then, that's what I do.
D: What do you feel you're like
off the court? I guess everyone
knows what you're like on it. What
do you feel people know least about
you?
M: Well, what I think the people
know least about Karl Malone off
the court is his personality and the
way he acts towards people. When
I'm on the court, I wouldn't want to
meet me. When I'm off the court,
you'll see some little kids who want
my autograph, but they're sort of
scared. They say, "Oh, no mom."
But on the court, I'm entirely
different. But off the court, hey I"m
a normal guy. I like to meet people
and things like that. And people that
know Karl Malone know that"s true.
That"s me in a nutshell. I love
people. I like to meet people all the
time. But when I"m on the court, I
have no friends and take no
prisoners.
D: I loved how you wrote
"Frank" on the back of your shoes.
How did that relationship between

you and Frank Layden blossom? And
what"s going on now that he"s not
the coach anymore?
M: Oh, we always talk now. He
comes to practice, and we kid around
with him while we're practicing or
whatever. And it's something that
just happened. It's just something
that I just show my respect. I didn't
go hooping and hollering about it to
the press. I just showed him my
respect for him. That's what I did. I
just wrote that on the back of my
shoe and that'sthe whole thing.
D: What's the most fun you've
ever had playing basketball?
M: The most fun I ever had
playing basketball was probably
winning the MVP of the All-Star
game. God, everyday now before I
leave for practice I go down and look
at it. It's something that can be
stolen away, but it can't be taken
away.
D: What did it feel like when you
received that reward?
M: It felt like, for once you are
the best professional basketball
player on this stage. And it seemed
like the whole world was watching.
And everywhere you do and every
place you stop, people know that.
People know who you are and it's
really a great feeling. So, that's what
it was like for the All-Star game.
That's the most fun I ever had.
D: Playing basketball, what's the
most pressure you've ever felt on
you?
M: The most pressure I've ever
had in my whole life was this past
season with the Golden State
Warriors. I didn't play that good in
the first round, but then I had to
come back and redeem myself in the
second round.
D: Two years ago, you made it to
the Western Conference Finals and
this year you didn't do quite so well.
How are you psyching up for the
coming year?
M: I'm not psyching up. I'm

just going to play. You know, I
don't have any pressure on me. I'm
just going out to play and do my
job. That's the only thing I want to
do. We just put last season behind
us, and go out and play. We have to
do that.
D: I heard you're filming a
movie. Is that hush hush?
M: It's hush hush, but I'm
filming a movie called the Porter
Rockwell Story. It's a true story.
It's a Western and is supposed to
released in January of February. But
I've got two or three other offers
too. And I'm really excited about
that. The name of the movie is
Rockwell.
D: What's the one question that a
reporter has never asked you that you
wish you would've been asked
because it something you really
want people to know? The kind of
thing you want people to know, but
it's never been asked of you.

Purdue's Silver Twins:
What a combination!
To hell with victory number 700 for the Michigan football team.
Forget about the thrill of the Big Ten race. And forget about taking yet
another step towards the Rose Bowl and possibly the national
championship.
All those things were pushed - nay, shoved - out of my mind last
Saturday, for little did anyone know the greatness that was in our midst
two short days ago.
No, I don't mean Bo Schembechler, who needs seven more wins to
top good 'ol Woody "I throw a mean right cross" Hayes for fourth place
on the all-time coaches list.
No, I don't mean Purdue quarterback Eric Hunter, who gained more
yards running sideways than the whole Boilermaker team has running
forward all year.
Not to say that these men aren't great. But we were truly graced by
greatness Saturday and when I say great, I mean Purdue's Silver Twins,
Golden Girl and the Girl in Black.
Not since 1985 have these incredibly talented twirlers flipped their
batons around Michigan Stadium. And now I know why a tremendous
void in my life has since been filled.
You see, an hour before game time, as I was munching quietly on my
complimentary Michigan hot dog, someone threw a folder my way. As I
opened the folder, a slew of press releases with tidbits of information on
the Purdue Marching Band, the Silver Twins, the Golden Girl and the Girl
in Black fell onto my lap.
Did you know that the guy who invented fiberglass, Dr. Games
Slayter, played tuba in the Purdue Band in 1918? I'll never be able to hit
a bank shot off the glass again without falling to the basketball floor in
hysterics. Will basketball ever be the same?
H(w about this one: The Purdue Band is the first marching band to
have one of its members on the moon. No kidding. Neil Armstrong
played baritone horn in Purdue's 1952 marching band. One small step for
man...uh, Houston, could you tell me how the Silver Twins are doing?
Whata marching band! What a musical and scientific experience being
a member of the Purdue marching band must be!
"We get no compensation, we pay for all of our costumes," said
Kimberlie Ratcliffe, Purdue's 16th all-time Golden Girl. "It's just an
honor to be in this."
Ms. Ratcliffe, a senior from Zanesville, Indiana, supposedly beat out
redshirt sophomore Bea Arthur for this year's Golden Girl position.
Estelle Getty lost her chance for this illustrious position to Proposition
48. Truly a tragedy.
"The Purdue Golden Girl is the most prestigious position in the
United States in twirling," the Golden Girl said with a straight face. "It is
internationally known. The Golden Girl has been in Japan and Mexico."
If only President Bush knew about the powerful international
missionary that he has at his fingertips. The world would truly never be
the same again.
Just two chairs away from her were her twirling subordinates, if you
will. Smiling like a sunshiny day, despite the fact that their team has no
Big Ten wins, were the Silver Twins.
They wore these silver sequin jackets that looked much like Neil
Armstrong's moon outfit. Actually, these coats were a bit more cheesy-

When
court,

I'm on the
I wouldn't

want to meet me....
But off the court, hey

I'm
like

a normal

guy. I

to meet people

and things like that.
M: The one question would
probably be, "What is Karl Malone
really like? Who is Karl Malone?"
D: And you would say?
M: If someone asked me that
question, I would tell them I don't
know.
D: What do you mean, "I don't
know?"
M: I think I'm a mixture of
things. I think that I am human. I
will try not to ever embarrass
anyone I'm associated with, and I'm
a really nice guy. I want people to
know Karl Malone as Karl Malone.
Andl I like ~to he'1n other nenlep

DAVID LUBLINER/Daily
looking than that; they seemed to come straight out of the prop drawer
from Lost in Space.
And this year's Silver Twins are crusty veterans. Bibi and Lani Barnes
of Norcross, Georgia, have been Purdue's Silver Twins for three straight
years now. Quite an honor.
"It's one of the most prestigious twirling honors in the nation," Bibi
said, sounding quite brainwashed. "It's such an honor, the University
backs us so much. It gives us a chance to represent people."
All she was missing was a tiara and Bert Parks. She already had the
bubbling personality and the talent. Don't forget the talent, which
obviously runs in the family.
"We were recruited to do this by the 1961 Golden Girl," sister Lani
said, sending me running back to the Golden Girl press releases. Sweat
running down my brow, I furiously searched for this Golden Girl with the
eye for talent.
It was Golden Girl V, or five for you non-Romans, June Ciampa, who
had her term of office broken up by another Golden Girl. Miss Ciampa
was Golden Girl for the 1961-62 season and, like Grover Cleveland, came
back for another term, two years later in 1964.
And it's truly a family affair in Purdue's twirling corps because for the
first time in Purdue's history, the Golden Girl and the Girl in Black, Kelli
Ratcliffe, are sisters. Kimberlie and Kelli forever etched in Purdue history.
I guess they've got those type of parents who name their kids by the
same letter.
I did, however, feel sorry for these twirlers, who were dressed like
most female objects are - quite skimpily. It was pretty damn freezing on
the field yesterday.
The Golden Girl shivered. The Girl in Black clamped her teeth. The,
Silver Twins sat with their fists clenched. I was waiting for the moment
that Bibi and Lani would touch clenched fists and exclaim: Silver Twin
powers activate! Form up a space heater! Form up a decent football
team!
Despite the fact that they looked incredibly ridiculous and took
themselves way too seriously, the Purdue marching band, starring the
Golddusters, showed up Michigan's. Once again, Michigan's marching
band had the worst song selection of all time, even predating June
Ciampa's tenure as a Golden Girl.
Who the hell plays "The Peanut Vendor" with a 250 member
marching band? And the same goes for two weeks ago when the band
played "Country Road." James Taylor is for when you're drunk and
depressed, not for when you're drunk and at a football game.
It sounded like a Russian dirge instead of James Taylor. And yesterday,
they topped it all off with "Malaga." Let's hear some decent songs. The
marchers deserve it.
A hallmate my first year here played trombone in the band. Nobody
saw or heard of him the first week of school because he practiced all day
with the Marching Band. When he finally appeared a week later, his
ankles were taped up because of all the high-stepping he had to do while
playing.
Thev work their tails off. Give them some decent mc t n nla Tmw

Taping ankles is a common job of student trainers. Junior Cindy Alvarez has her ankle taped by physical
education senior Suzie LaChance.

knows what he or she is getting
into.

"We're looking for a person in
sports medicine," says Burton.
"More than anything, we want
people who are eager to learn."
The candidate who survives this
elimination process begins a two-day
orientation program on the day after
Labor Day. During this time, the
intern becomes acquainted with the
certified trainers as well as with the
facilities. After that, experience is
the intern's primary teacher.
Because of the considerable time
commitment, most of the
participants have more than a
passing interest in sports training.
The goal of many is to receive
certification as an athletic trainer by
the American Red Cross. This opens
many career opportunities for them.
Gold has other career plans: "I

this approach: "In a curriculum, you
don't have a choice if you want to
change your mind (about your
career)."
Burton says she is not aware of
any other schools that offer a
program like MSTEP. She thinks
her program is achieving the desired
results.
"By the time they leave here, our
students are ready to take the
certification exam. Then, they'll
graduate with a degree in whatever,
so that gives them another option."
Many students in the program are
studying to earn a teaching
certificate. By having both a
teaching certificate and athletic
trainer certification, this gives


Michigan alumni an edge for many
jobs on the high school level over
their competitors.
All this makes the program seem
very attractive, but these students
pay the price. For example, interns
working football may not get to go
home for Thanksgiving this year.
Baseball and softball trainers won't
be heading for Daytona come spring
break. It quickly becomes evident
that there's more to this than just
taping a few ankles.
Both the university and the
student benefit from the program.
Burton puts it best: "What we get at
Michigan is alot of help. The
student trainers are an essential part
of our program. What they get is a
career."




Lions fall to Oilers,
HOUSTON (AP) - Warren


35-31; drop to 1-8
scooped up by Kevin Brooks, who
rotnrnon it I oord-, and fiimhlna