THE SPORTING VIEWS
By MARTIN FRANK
One year has passed since ex-Maryland basketball
player Len Bias tragically died of a cocaine overdose
in his dorm itory room. It appears athletes have not
learned from Bias' disastrous mistake.
After Bias' death, only two weeks passed before
Cleveland Browns' safety Don Rogers died of a co-
caine overdose. Later, ex-Villanova star Gary Mc-
Lain lamented Bias' death while using cocaine, New
York Giants' perennial all-pro linebacker Lawrence
Taylor sought treatment for substance abuse, and
San Francisco Giants' outfielder Eddie Milner and
New York Mets' pitcher Dwight Gooden completed
month-long stays in drug rehabilitation centers.
There have been other instances in the past year
as well. Two guards from the Houston Rockets,
Mitchell Wiggins and Lewis Lloyd, received
lifetime bans from the NBA for their use of cocaine,
and several players from the Phoenix Suns have
been implicated for their drug use as well as a
possible point-shaving scandal - which, of course,
was linked to cocaine.
It is small wonder why people such as New York
Post columnist Dick Young think these offenders
should be banished from the sport and thrown in jail
to ponder their mistakes. Unfortunately, calling for
New Yorkers to "stand up and boo" for Gooden or
other athletes upon their return from drug rehab
centers is not the answer.
WHILE DRUG users should not be applauded
for their behavior, they should be applauded for their
attempts to correct their problems and restructure
their lives.
To say that Gooden, or any other drug user, is
over his problem is ludicrous. But for Gooden to
know that people are behind him can only help him.
When more than 51,000 fans in Shea Stadium stood
up and cheered for Gooden upon his return, it
showed that New York fans want him to succeed in
overcoming his problem.
More players today are coming forth for help
because professional leagues have instituted rigorous
drug relief programs, but many others still are not.
With people such as Young around, it's no wonder.
Admitting to a drug problem certainly is hard
enough for anyone in today's society let alone for a
professional athlete who has to answer to the press
and to the millions of fans he supposedly "let
down." The situation becomes much more difficult
Athletes should
learn from Bias
when writers such as Young call for their heads.
Young has placed these athletes on an incredibly
high pedestal just because they can hit a baseball,
shoot a basketball, or run better than 99 percent of
the population. This is unfair because after all, they
are human beings and are prone to the same kind of
mistakes everyone else is.
When people say that Gooden broke eight
million young hearts by admitting to drug use, they
overlooked something. They overlooked that
Gooden was brave enough to admit he made a mis-
take and needed help. Gooden's confession becomes
all the more courageous when one considers the 40
million New York press hounds breathing down his
neck and searing into his private life.
AND IF GOODEN'S reception at Shea
Stadium is any indication, it looks as if at least
51,000 of those hearts have mended.
Athletes are not the superhuman role models who
are supposed to be inspirations for children
everywhere. They are normal people and they
deserve the compassion that people like Gooden
have received when they ask for help.
Just the other day a friend asked, "Why do these
guys go out and use drugs after seeing what
happened to Bias?"
Why do people drink and drive? Why do people
enjoy Rambo movies? Who invented liquid soap and
why? Why did Donna Rice go home with Gary Hart
- why not with me?
The truth is that nobody knows, but that's not
the point. The bottom line is that drug users - ath-
letes or not - need help. The sooner people realize
this, the sooner other drug users in sports will come
forth and seek help and hopefully cases like Bias'
will never happen again. If drug users see that their
peers are encouraged to mend their habits, they too
will come forth for support.
The athletes who should be booed are the ones
who don't try to help fix their problems, because
they are the ones letting everybody down -
themselves, their team, and their fans, who pay
good money to see them perform.
One year after Len Bias' death itsis clear that
drugs are not out of professional sports, nor will
they be anytime in the near future. Bias' death
haunts us still, but it's not too late to learn from
his tragic example - just ask Dwight Gooden.
The Michigan Daily-Friday, June l'9, 1987- Page 11
First-round choice
Deasley makes 'M' history
(continuedfrom Page10) going to go at me harder because
"He's in a really good program," I'm a first rounder, then I am going
MacNeil said. "We're pleased to to go out stronger after them."
have a player that belongs to us -Senior Joe Lockwood, too old
under a coach like Red Berenson. to be taken in the entry draft, was
Berenson is a great coach, who will taken in the supplemental draft by
maximize his potential. the New York Rangers. Lockwood
"We think this guy is eventually scored 13 goals and five assists
going to be a big strong left winger from his right wing position last
with us in the NHL." season. His five short-handed goals
Deasley now ranks ahead of is a team record.
teammates Todd Copeland (second
round, 1986), Jeff Norton (third, Morris featured
'84), Myles O'Connor (third, '85), Jamie Morris, the only running
and Brad Turner (third, '86) on the back to lead Michigan in rushing in
list of current Michigan draftees. his first three seasons, is featured in
The sophomore does not expect this year's Sporting News' College
his lofty status to effect the Football Yearbook.
workman-like play that enabled him The magazine rated Morris
to score 13 goals and assist on 11 second in the nation at halfback,
others last season. behind UCLA's Gaston Green and
"It feels great to be the first ahead of Michigan State's Lorenzo
number-one choice for Michigan White.
hockey," he said "but I'm going to
continue to play as a team player. I Morrow on Pan Am
won't play as an individual." Pitcher Vicki Morrow, whose
Deasley also believes that the 26-9 record led the Michigan
extra pressure of being a number- softball team to a second-place Big
one pick will be good for his game. Ten finish, was named to the U.S.
He certainly won't back down when team that will compete at the Pa
an opposing player challenges him. American games held this July in
"It might even give me more Aicana es.
incentive," he said. "If a player is Indianapols.
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