SPORTS


The Michigan Daily

Friday, June 17, 1988

Page 11

71111 Walker D.


Dreaming of a chat wit
the Pi~stons' 'cheerleader'
BY ADAM BENSON coach Daly wants, I'll do, cause I'm M: Well, Gee Walker, I would
Game 3 of the 1988 NBA Finals just happy to he here. think, just from looking in the box.
was not a thing of beauty, especially ME: Don't you hope that Chuck scores, that maybe it stands for
if you were one of the 39,000 hanky- Daly will give you some key mo- DAWIH'
qy waving Piston fans in the Silver- ments somewhere in the series. WALKER D.: Laugh all you want.
dome. The Pistons were rolled over WALKER D. (sarcastically): Are But you dished out $15 to get your
hy hard-charging Magic Johnson and you WACKO or something? Yeah, lousy seats, and I'm getting paid to
his Los Angeles Laker teammates. I'm gonna play defense against sit at courtside. If you can ever run
The Lakers looked like the awe- Magic. Chuck thinks that I can stop the lay-up drill, and chase Isiah
some champions of last year, while him better than Joey Dumars. I'm downcourt in practice, then maybe
the Pistons were flat. In the second having a great time just watching you can be fortunate enough to have
Qa. half, the Pistons were often caught Joey. Why should I mess with a some know-it-all from a college
standing still. Only, Isiah Thomas good thing? I'm telling you im just newspaper come harass you...
seeme to he into the game. This is a happy to behere. (At this point, we leave the dream
no-no against the heat fast-break in ME: If it's not your job to play, sequence and return to the regular
pro basketball, then what is your job? Are you just a portion of the column)
The Pistons lack of movement was highly-paid cheerleader or something9
notieabe een rom y sctin W LKE D.:My ob s t be I haven't been able to interview
notieabe een rom y sctin W LKE D.:My ob s t beWalker D., because he's been busy
118, row 38, seat 27 view. Oh, I happy, to be here.laeyWlkrddgtaitepain
could sec the game, but I had a better ME: Walker, if you are not alaeyWaerddgtaitepain
e a view of the stage being prepared for defensive specialist, than what does time at the end of the Pistons' 111-
' today's "Monsters of Rock" concert. the "D" stand for? 86 victory and he might have had
Throughout the playoffs, from WALKER D. (getting annoyed): more if not for Isiah Thomas' quick-1
'Washington's Jeff Malone's bom- Happy, as in "happy to be here". eln ak
barding exhibition through Michael It is easy to make fun of Walker
H.> Jordan ad Chicago's quick exit and D., and easy to forget that he does
Boston's Larry Bird's flop, the Pis- make a contribution to the Pistons.
tons have been full of emotion. The Walker, Chuck Nevitt, and Ralph
Thecoceredlok o tefceofLosAnel s ocae Press games have had many highs and Lewis help the spirit of the Pistons.
Theconered oo onth fae f Ls ngeesguard Magic many lows. Normally, all it taes to There is a lot to be said for playing
Johnson was typical of the Lakers in game four of the NBA know what the Pistons are feeling iswiheoonadwilitssah
Finals as Detroit walloped them, 111-86. ai look at the Piston bench. A.D., and Bill who do most of the
I bega to wonder how Walker D. ,' ' playing, it's guys like Walker D.
A bott capture S Russell, a regular on the Pistonswhsupymcoftemtin
pnfeels about his role. There
haven't been many interviews with f '< In game 4, the Pistons played the
Walker D., and it seems that h e eoinlamstfnzdg e
one m ore aw ard would make an interesting story.te emtoalye alothfrnzied, game
Gee, maybe if I went down to the fplayoffs. That is Piston Basketball.
FROM STAFF REPORTS draft to forego his senior year at Pistons bench, Walker D. and I could ""7It is as big a part of a Piston victory
Adding to an already stacked Michigan to enter the Angel farm talk. Hmmm, I wonder how that as is the pick & roll, support from
trophy case, former Michigan pit- system. He was 9-3, with a 3.32 would go... tebnh n hi otoesa
cher Jim Abbott collected yet ERA this past season in helping (This is the dream sequence in this physical style.
another award, the Tanqueray Ama- lead the Wolverines to the regular column. Imagine it like a dream se-
teur Athlete Achievement Award, on Big Ten season title. quence from 'Late Night with David For Detroit to win the NBA title,
Tuesday. Further accomplishments of Letterman.' This is the same basic they need more than the prime-time
Abbott, whose awards consist of Abbott's include carrying the United concept.) Russell players, they also need the smiles of
the 1987 Golden Spikes Award as States flag at the Pan American ME: Walker D., what do you feel ,,,'happy to be there' the bench.
college's best baseball player and games in Cuba and being named to you offer the Pistons?
the 1987 Sullivan Award as the the All-Big Ten team for all three of WALKER D.: I don't know, but
nation's best amateur athlete, was his Michigan seasons. I'm just happy to be here. Whatever '

given the award by former major
league commissioner Bowie Kuhn
at a luncheon in New York.
The award follows a very
memorable event for Abbott in
which he was made the first-round
draft pick (8th pick overall) of the
Califomnia Angels in last week's
major league draft. This spot in the
draft despite the fact that he was
only born with one hand magnifies
how truly impressive it is.
Abbott,, the 1988 Big Ten
Player-of-the-Year, decided after the

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