The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 22, 1997 - 23 1 : ' DrrckIl- Clea Cole a Native Detroiter Derrick Coleman, the first pick in the 1990 NBA draft, talks about his 0 journey through the league, the state of professional basketball and Allen Iverson After selecting Derrick Coleman ih the first overall pick in the 1990 S4 Draft, the New Jersey Nets had '7igh expectations of the Detroit native, hoping he would turn around a dismal franchise. But after earning rookie of the year honors, Coleman was a disappointment, and was dipped off to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1995-96 season. Coleman was raised in Detroit and played basketball for Flint Northern High School. He played against the likes of Big Ten stars Terr Mills and Steve Smith before moving on to S;fracuse for college. At Syracuse, C6leman set the Big East record for 'career rebounds and was named con- 'rdence player of the year in 1990. "Recently, The Michigan Daily's Josh Kleinbaum had a chance to catch up with Coleman and talk about his career, Detroit basketball nd even a little Michigan hoops. DAiLY: Do you still follow college basketball and Syracuse basketball ? COLEMAN: Yeah, definitely. D: What did you think of Syracuse's season this year? C: We had a terrible year this year. *e went from the Final Four to los- in the first round of the NIT. There's no reason for it, but we'll bounce back, though. D: Did you see any of Michigan's games in the NIT? C: Yeah, I'm a Michigan fan. In the summertime, I play with Trac (Michigan sophomore center Robert Traylor) and (recent Michigan for- ward) Maurice (Taylor) and those guys. So I still follow it. D: What was the basketball envi- ronment like in Detroit when you were in high school? C: No. I hoops spot in America as far as all the talent and all the players we had coming out of school when I was in school. It was pretty much balanced. Everyone had two or three good players on their team. It was tough, night in and night out. D: Do you still keep in touch with any of the players you played against? C: Oh, yeah. I still keep in touch with Terry (Mills), Steve (Smith), and Shawn Respert. We all keep in contact with each other over the course of the year. D: Do you think that when you play against each other now it is any more competitive, because you've been playing each other for so long? C: It's still competitive, whether we're playing summer league, pick- up, or like we're playing against each other now. D: You spend some of your sum- he used to coach Pershing, and I used to coach Northern, so it was a rivalry in high school. It's just something I've continued to do. I enjoy it. It's a lot of fun. It gives the kids an oppor- tunity to just go out and play and have fun. D: Do you talk to any of them about where they should go to play college ball? C: No, I've never even discussed that. D: There's been a trend lately of players leaving college early to come to the NBA. You stayed at Syracuse all four years. If you had an opportu- nity to talk to players considering leaving early for the NBA, what would you say? C: I'd tell them to fulfill their dreams. It's a different opportunity for different people. I enjoyed col- lege when I was there, but who's to say it's for everybody? If that's how they feel like they want to do, then go out and fulfill your dream. If your main goal was to go out and play in the NBA, and that's what you've been striving for, and a good oppor- tunity permits itself, then by all means, do it. D: What basketball players did you look up to when you were a kid'? C: George Gervin and Dr. J. Those were my two.favorites. D: What do you think you've learned from watching them play? C: I don't think I've really learned too much. I just go out and try to emulate the things that they do. D: What basketball players now do you look up to? C: No one. D: What was your most memo- rable basketball experience? C: Probably Dream Team II. We had a lot of fun doing it. All the kinds that were there, we really had a chance to sit down and really hang out with each other. It was great. I had a lot of fun doing that. It was probably one of my best experiences. D: What did it feel like to win the gold medal? C: After we won, we were having a big party. Some of my friends were there, and some of Steve (Smith)'s friends were there from home, and one of the guys said, "You know what man, it's funny. You go from the ghetto to a gold medal." And it never really dawned on me that he was right, and that's exactly what happened. Growing up in Detroit, with all the different avenues that you can take, having some people in your life put you on the right path and winning a gold medal. It was very cool. D: Were you recruited by Michigan? C: Yeah. D: Why did you choose Syracuse? C: To get away from home, a dif- ferent atmosphere. D: This year, you hive a potential superstar on your team in Allen Iverson. Do you think it helps your game at all playing with him? C: I think it helps everybody's game. Allen is just so quick on both ends of the court. It's just a learning experience for him: As the year goes on, he's gotten better, and I just think he's going to get even better every time he steps out onto the court. D: In 1995, you were traded from the Nets to the '76ers. How would you compare the two teams? C: I don't, not at all. D: Was the transition easy'? C: Oh, yeah, the transition was that I go right down the turnpike. I didn't have to move that far. mers coaching high school players in Detroit. Can you tell me a little about that? C: In the summertime, I come home. My high school coach used to do it, but when I was in college, it really kind of got big. Steve (Smith), he was going to Michigan State, and Zoeller apologizes for insulting remarks bout Masters champion Tiger Woods ATLANTA (AP) --- Fuzzy Zoeller apologized yesterday for calling Masters champion Tiger Woods "that little boy" and urging him not to request fried chicken or collard greens for the Champions Dinner next year. My comments were not intended to be racially derogatory, and I apolo- e for the fact that they were mis- nstrued in that fashion," Zoeller said in a statement released by his agent. Zoeller's comments about Wood', made at Augusta National while the 21-year-old was becoming the first black golfer to win a major tourna- ment on April 13, were broadcast Sunday on CNN's "Pro Golf Weekly." According to a transcript relkased the Atlanta-based network, Zoeller S,"That little boy is driving well and 4he's putting well. He's doing everything it takes to win. So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it?" On the tape, Zoeller snapped, his fingers, turned to walk away, then added, "Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve." Woods, as defending champion, will get to select the menu for the Champions Dinner next year. He is the youngest Masters winner in history after his record-settingi 12-stroke vic- tory. Zoeller, one of the most free-spirit- ed players on the PGA Tour, said he was merely joking when he made the comments. "I've been on the tour for 23 years and anybody who knows me knows that I am a jokester," Zoeller said. "It's too bad that something I said in jest was turned into something it's not, but I didn't mean anything by it and I'm sorry if I offended anybody. If Tiger is offended by it, I apologize to him, too." Zoeller said he didn't intend for his comments to be construed in a racial context. "I was merely making reference to the Champions Dinner. In fact, when I hosted the dinner I served fast food hamburgers," said Zoeller, who won the 1979 Masters. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for T iger as a per- son and an athlete." Woods was taping the Oprah Winfrey show on Monday and could not be reached for comment, accord- ing to IMG, the agency which repre- sents him. Zoeller said he had not been able to reach Woods, either, but planned to speak with him "at the first opportunity our schedules permit." Other golfers on the tour came to Zoeller's defense, though they stressed that his comments were in bad taste. "I know Fuzzy and it was obvious to me that he was attempting to be funny," Tom Lehman said yesterday, after playing in the Andersen Consuiting World Championship of Golf in Eatonton, Ga. "He probably would have said the same thing to Tiger's face and they both would have yukked it up." But Zoeller's comments were unfor- tunate, Lehman added, coming in the midst of a landmark event in the histo- ry of golf. "It wasn't the best timing, and it wasn't in good taste." Lehman said. "I'm1 sure lie was makingi an attempt at a joke and it didn't conie out right. But it's not appropriate. Fred Couples stressed that Woods is treated the same as any other golfer on the mostly white tour. "Off-the-wall comments are made all the time," Couple said. "There was nothing racist about it. We don't have any problems like that out here (on the tour). "I don't think it's a big deal, and I'M sure Tiger doesn't. But I'm sure there are a lot of people around the world that do. And I'm sure Fuzzy wishes he wouldn't have said that." STICKING AROUND ANN ARBOR FOR THE SUMMER? LOOKING FOR SOME- WHERE THAT'S AIR-CONDITIONED? NEED TO BRUSH UP ON YOUR WRITING SKILLS? KILL THREE BIRDS WITH ONE STONE - JOIN THE MICHIGAN DAILY SUMMER WEEKLY. CALL' MARK, CHRIS OR SHARAT FOR INFORMATION AT 647-3 33 6. "Feel the satisfaction of making a valued contribution to the Jewish State,. Live and work side-by-side with the young men & women of the.1l; . ISRAEL NEEDS YOU NOW. Perform noMco atv duisa nIral vpM~maltfac ae So~799* Inu ondi Awtd p er~a& I)mur bo* touW m et iare VOLUNTEERS FOR ISRAEL 330W,42 St.,Ste 1618 " NY, NY 10036 phone (212) 643-4848 " email: vol41srael@aol.com http://member.aol.com/vol4srael " pb,sp,*Wn fe. gror .=.-mPe . ..u . & A*we- Y " iW'abiia "by Vn & S.V. Former 'Bama coach Stalling U U injured in stable accident PARIS, Texas (AP) - Former wouldn't get to eat. One Alabama football coach Gene down and I landed on my Stallings remained hospitalized yes- Stallings said he's be terday after he was trampled by three need a wheelchair and a .horses on his ranch. about three months. He was listed in good condition at Coaching Alabama to St. Joseph's Hospital and Health record from 1990-96, Sta enter after undergoing surgery to team captured the natio repair a fractured hip, on Sunday. onship with a 34-13 v was a dumb thing to do," Miami in the Sugar Bow Ollings, 62, told The Paris News after the 1996 season. about Sunday morning's accident. "I In his final game a was feeding three young colts at the Stallings defeated Michi same time and each was afraid he in the 1997 Outback Bow ..... r MITCH'S P Caribba-eari Nvight knocked me hip." en told he'll a walker for a 70-16-1 allings' 1992 nal champi- ictory over l. He retired t Alabama, gan, 17-14, l. ggH T at'- , \tt Nat o t 4 °t nse in f e ld suddenly f riends sus an ER:v th naked . t ruth NBC THURSDAY NIGHT ON THE SCREEN CO e prize r0 it's all fr .a .