FEBRUARY 18 2000 THE BEHREND BEACON PAGE 15
NATIONAL SPORTS
His career turned upside down,
`Jewish Jordan' starts anew
by Kevin Mulligan
February 15, 2000
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
TAKOMA PARK, Md. It was going
to be the perfect senior year for Tamir
Goodman.
Fun with high school friends.
Completion of his Jewish studies at
Talmudical Academy, a tiny Orthodox
yeshiva in Baltimore. Continued suc
cess and development on the basketball
court. Finally, signing his national let
ter of intent to attend Maryland on a
basketball scholarship.
These were to be memories that last
a lifetime
"It's supposed to be the best year of
your life," said Goodman, "for most
high school kids."
The sad part of the complicated and
unique Tamil' Goodman story, one that
the Philadelphia Daily News chronicled
exactly one year ago, is that the engag
ing 18-year-old is exactly like most
high school teenagers. With one gigan
tic exception: Goodman is a wonder
fully gifted basketball player who has
remained committed to a life of Torah
observance.
The yarmulke-clad teen, nicknamed
"the Jewish Jordan" for his scoring abil
ity (38.8 points per game as a junior)
and creativity (7.9 assists per game last
year) with the hall, has won widespread
admiration from athletes, coaches and
parents, as well as Jewish leaders, for
his unwavering dedication to both ath
letics and religion. Some, however,
might say his love of the game and de
votion to Judaism and its values have
cost him dearly.
Goodman's dream senior year has
been turned upside down. Prominent
among the reasons:
Being asked to leave Talmudical
Academy just before school opened in
September if he wanted to continue se
rious basketball pursuits. "I loved it
there," he said. "(The rabbis) couldn't
handle the whole basketball thing, the
circus some said we had become, be
cause of me. So, they asked me to find
a school that would accommodate me
better. It really hurt, and it still does."
A sprained medial collateral knee
ligament suffered early last summer,
which sidelined him for several weeks.
The injury occurred the day before he
was scheduled to leave for the presti
gious adidas Camp, featuring the
nation's elite prep players, at Fairleigh
Dickinson. Against doctors' wishes,
Goodman attempted to play through the
injury, and, unable to perform to his
normal standards, became a target for
detractors.
"I wanted to compete against the
best," he said. "I couldn't just stand and
watch. It was like I'd been working on
my "A' paper, and it came time to hand
it to the teacher and the dog eats it. And
then to hear and read people ripping me
and saying I was faking injury ... that's
the first time it really got to me. It took
a mental hit on me like you wouldn't
believe."
Griffey deal is richest in baseball
by Dana Pennett
February 11, 2000
Knight-Ridder Tribune
When Ken Griffey Jr. talked about
being traded from Seattle because he
wanted to be closer to home, every
one assumed he meant nearer to his
exclusive enclave outside of Orlando,
Fla.
Turns out he meant home. Really
and truly home. The place where he
grew up and played high school ball
and watched Pops help fuel the Big
Red Machine.
And so Thursday, Griffey put to bed
the rumors and speculation that filled
the winter months to return to the place
where baseball started for him. He was
dealt to the Cincinnati Reds for four
players and agreed to a nine-year,
$112.5 million contract. It's the rich
est deal in baseball, topping the Los
Angeles Dodgers' six-year, $lO5 mil
lion whopper for Kevin Brown, though
that could change when, if as expected,
the Yankees sign Derek Jeter. The ex
tension, which covers 2000 to 2008
and includes an option for 2009, comes
just before the deadline set by Griffey
and Seattle management. Both sides
wanted everything completed before
spring training began.
In exchange for its 10-time All-Star,
Seattle gets righthander Brett Tomko
and centerfielder Mike Cameron,
along with a pair of minor leaguers,
infielder Antonio Perez and
righthander Jake Meyer.
"It doesn't matter how much money
you make. It's where you're the hap
piest," said Griffey, wearing the jer
sey and cap of his new team after fly
ing from Florida on owner Carl
Lindner's private plane for a news con
ference. "I thought Cincinnati is the
place I would be happiest. Hopefully
Goodman and his parents were told
in a summer meeting with Maryland
head basketball coach Gary Williams
that the university was withdrawing its
scholarship offer extended a year ear
lier (Goodman orally committed in the
fall of 1998) because the school (and
the Atlantic Coast Conference) would
not accommodate Goodman's Ortho
dox Jewish observance of the Sabbath,
among other religion-based needs.
Television dictates ACC scheduling.
Reports said Williams also may have
overreacted to Goodman's injury, re
evaluated the kid's potential and fac
tored in the religious concessions, and
decided to move on.
"The bandwagon was totally
empty," Goodman said, "except for my
close friends and family. I didn't have
a high school to go to and no college,
and making it worse, I was still in
therapy, not playing ball either."
Seated on Monday in the office of
Joe Perrone, his new coach at Takoma
Academy, Goodman slowly shook his
head, as if in disbelief, and looked a
visitor in the eye.
"It's amazing how God works," he
said.
Goodman is resolutely coping with
the daily, 35-mile commute to his new
high school, Takoma Academy, a Sev
enth Day Adventist-run private school
tucked in the middle of a culturally di
verse neighborhood just inside the
Washington Beltway, a 40-minute
drive (off-peak) southwest of
Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Takoma,
with few Caucasians among the pre
dominantly African-American student
body (400), presents a stark contrast
to Goodman's previous educational
setting. He begins each day with reli
gious education classes at a neighbor
ing Jewish school, followed by his
secular courses at Takoma.
Takoma has been an excellent fit for
Goodman, because of the Adventist's
similarities to Judaism, including ob
servance of the Sabbath.
"We typically don't recruit," said
Perrone, a Seventh Day Adventist, "but
when we heard he was looking for a
school . . . knowing our similarities
with observance of the Sabbath, the
Scriptures and the Old Testament, I
thought we would be a good fit for
Tamir. And it's just been wonderful. I
think God really was looking out for
him."
Goodman is Takoma's tallest starter.
The Tigers, 13-7, compete in
Maryland's competitive Independent
League. The conference includes
Montrose Christian, of Rockville,
which was nationally ranked until last
week's loss to rival Riverdale Baptist.
"I'm not the show here," he said. "I
just do my job, do what I can to help
my team and try to make the best of
everything."
He is doing fine, despite the fact that
he's terribly miscast by Perrone as a
wing guard and does not see the ball
nearly enough in key situations.
Goodman is averaging 23 points, 6.5
I can have the same luck my father
had here and win some champion
ships."
The trade ended a furious 24 hours
for the Reds, who agreed to a tenta
tive deal with Seattle on Wednesday
and were granted 72 hours to work out
a contract extension with Griffey to
finalize the trade.
As recently as Tuesday, the Reds
feared they wouldn't be able to afford
Griffey beyond this season, the final
year of his contract. Seattle cleared the
way by allowing Griffey's agent,
Brian Goldberg, to talk directly to Cin
cinnati, a move that might have vio
lated baseball's tampering rule.
Through Goldberg, Griffey assured
the Reds he would accept a less-than
market value deal to come home, and
the two teams agreed to the five-player
exchange Wednesday. By Thursday,
Griffey and the Reds worked out the
gargantuan deal fitting for the man
many consider the best all-around
player in the game. Roughly $57.5
million of the contract's total will be
paid over a 16-year period after the
contract ends.
The 30-year-old Griffey is just en
tering his prime, his sweet lefthanded
swing still hitting its stride.
It was not a swing the Mariners
wanted to lose, but they had little hope
of keeping it. That became obvious
when Griffey turned down a reported
eight-year, $l4B million contract ex
tension from Seattle last year.
"February 10, 2000, will go down
in Reds' history, major league history,
as the day the Michael Jordan of base
ball came home to Cincinnati," Reds
general manager Jim Bowden said.
Griffey originally implied that he
wanted to be nearer to his offseason
digs in Florida, but ultimately whittled
his choices to one, his true hometown.
WFFFKIN SPORTS
assists, 9 rebounds and 5 steals this sea
son. He will represent the Washington-
Baltimore area against a team of U.S.
stars in the prestigious Capital Classic
at USAir Arena on April 11.
In November, despite phone calls to
Perrone from several major basketball
powers, Goodman signed a national let
ter of intent to play at nearby Towson,
after exhaustive homework by head
coach Mike Jaskulski regarding
Goodman's religious and educational
needs.
The America East Conference,
which includes Drexel University and
Delaware, has fully supported
Towson's desire to accommodate
Goodman's Sabbath observance, which
prevents him from participating in any
activities (practice, games, etc.) from
sundown Friday through dusk on Sat
urday.
"I had so much doubt about my fu
ture when everything seemed to be
coming apart," said Goodman, who has
bulked up to 170. "And, all of a sud
den, everything is turning out great.
"I think I've given Takoma my 110
percent and the people have been good
to me, and I couldn't be more excited
about Towson next year. I owe them
everything. I could never repay them
for all they've done to support me."
Goodman decided to sign with
Towson when Jaskulski pressed for an
early commitment, because he realized
the countless arrangements that would
be required by Towson.
Combined with Towson's commit
ment to meet his needs, Goodman also
did not want to risk waiting, only to
have another Maryland situation arise
and leave him scrambling.
Jaskulski had been closely monitor
ing Maryland's actions regarding
Goodman. When word of Williams' re
versal leaked out, Towson was pre
pared. And extremely interested.
"As soon as I heard, we jumped in
with both feet," Jaskulski said. "TV
doesn't determine our schedules, so I
thought it was workable. The more we
examined things, the more workable it
became, with the support of the uni
versity, the conference and the rest of
the coaches."
A five-hour visit with Tamir and his
parents in their home during the early
recruiting (contact) period wrapped up
the college's commitment. Jaskulski
said that his players, familiar with
Goodman's personality and talent, en
thusiastically approved, even though
they may face inconveniences along the
way. "I asked them how they felt about
it at our Midnight Madness meeting,
and to a man, they stood up in support
of everything we could do to assist
Tamir.
"It's going be a great experience for
all of us, on many levels. Tamir is an
exceptional young man. I know how
good a player he is, but it's not the num
bers, it's not his savvy that most im
presses me. It's his feel for the game
and his ability to see the court and make
Along the way, he blocked a trade to
the New York Mets.
Hey, home is home. Cincinnati is the
city where Junior signed up for Little
League and starred for Moeller High
School, where he set records of 11
home runs in a season and 20 in a ca
reer. And, of course, Cincinnati also is
the place where his father, Ken Sr.,
starred and Junior frolicked in the club
house with other famous namesakes,
including Pete Rose Jr. Now Dad
serves as a bench coach and chances
are, during his son's tenure, he'll be
calling the shots. Many consider Ken
Sr. a likely candidate to replace man
ager Jack McKeon, who has a one-year
contract.
"The
,last time I put on this uniform,
I think I was 8, for a father-son game,"
Junior said. "This is something I
dreamed about as a little kid, being
back in my hometown, where I
watched so many great players."
He couldn't have picked a better
time to head home. Cincinnati, always
serious about baseball, finally has an
organization that feels the same way
again. Gone are the circus days of
Marge Schott. In her place is Lindner,
a banana magnate, who proved by sim
ply going after Griffey that Cincinnati
no longer intends to be grouped among
the poor-sister, small-market teams.
The city is already in the midst of build
ing a new stadium and Griffey's pres
ence will only fan the flames of base
ball fever, as he chases Hank Aaron's
home-run record, on the banks of the
Ohio River.
As word spread Junior was coming
home again, ticket salespeople couldn't
keep up with the ringing telephones at
Cinergy Field. Even before the trade
was finalized, one sporting-goods
store, Koch's, displayed a Reds Griffey
everybody better. Things you can't
teach."
It is difficult to determine from in
terviews with Goodman, his father
Karl, and Harold "Chaim" Katz,
Tamir's close friend and former coach
at Talmudical, which hurt more: the
treatment by the rabbis or Maryland's
handling of the situation.
Rabbi Zvi Teichman, principal at
Talmudical, denied forcing Goodman
to find another school. "We couldn't
provide the type of basketball sched
ule and commitment Tamir was seek
ing," he said. "He could have chosen
to stay and play on a lower burner, so
to speak."
"The toughest thing for Tamir will
be not graduating with his school
friends at Talmudical," Karl Goodman
said.
Tamir grew up fantasizing about
someday wearing the Maryland colors
and playing against North Carolina,
Duke and the rest of the ACC. Tamir
understands the result. He just wishes
Maryland hadn't escalated his hopes so
prematurely.
"I just don't think Williams under
stood what the Sabbath is, and the depth
of Tamir's commitment to obser
vance," said Karl Goodman. "The Sab
bath is not negotiable. To me, it looked
like corporate hardball, and fortunately
we don't have to worry about that any-
more."
A spokesman for Williams cited
NCAA recruiting rules prohibiting Wil
liams from commenting about
"recruitable athletes."
"I just wish Maryland would have
said in the first place, "Sorry, Tamir,
we can't do it,' " he said. "But you don't
promise a kid a dream birthday present
and then not give it to him. They should
have done what Towson did. Look into
everything thoroughly before they of
fered me.
"Maryland should have done its
homework before they dangled the
apple in my face."
On this night, just 62 spectators at
tend Takoma's upset of The Heights.
Just five Takoma supporters are wear
ing yarmulkes: a few Goodmans, Katz
and another friend of Tamir's.
The circus left town many months
ago.
Unlike a year ago, there isn't a Jew
ish child to be found in the practically
empty 3,000-seat school auditorium.
There are no Goodman banners or me
dia crush, and after the game, the
schoolboy sensation is not mobbed for
autographs by kids waving their
yarmulkes.
"I think I like it like this better,"
Goodman said, with a wide smile.
"That was fun at first, but it got old real
quick.
"I'm enjoying just being myself
again. I love that my teacher tells me
to pick up papers off the floor after
class. I love being bumped around in
school. I love being a regular kid
again."
jersey in its window. Once the deal
was official, fans plunked hastily made
"Welcome Home" signs in their front
lawns and honked their horns in joy.
"His name comes up like Pete
Rose's name as far as Cincinnati," said
Ron Oester, a Cincy native who played
second base for the Reds. "That's the
magnitude he's at for Cincinnati fans."
Of course, warm fuzzier aside, base
ball is about wins and losses, and cer
tainly the Reds have set themselves up
well in that department by bringing
Griffey on board.
With Junior back in town, the Reds
are suddenly much more than the
sweet, little, $33 million-payroll pau
pers who lost to the mighty Mets in a
one-game playoff for the final wild
card spot last year. Their wallets are a
little bit heavier, as is their lineup.
Griffey brings his 398 career home
runs, .299 average and 1,152 RBI to a
team that already added considerable
firepower when it acquired Dante
Bichette from Colorado last October.
Best of all for the Reds, they were able
to get Griffey without sacrificing fu
ture stars Pokey Reese and Sean
Casey.
His arrival also turns the NL Cen
tral into baseball's world of home-run
derby, with Griffey, the Chicago Cubs'
Sammy Sosa and the St. Louis Cardi
nals' Mark McGwire all swinging for
the fences from the same division.
The trade doesn't, however, do any
thing to help Cincinnati's already-sus
pect rotation. Tomko, 26, went just 5-
7 in 26 starts last season with a 4.92
earned run average, but was the best
young starter on the Reds' staff.
Not that anyone was missing Tomko
Thursday.
"It's like being traded for Jordan or
something," Tomko said.
O'Neal, Duncan
rise to MVP
occasion
by Fred Mitchell
February 14, 2000
Chicago Tribune
OAKLAND -- In the ultimate show
case of stars, a couple of 7-footers
stood above the rest.
Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers and
Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs
keyed the West to a 137-126 victory
over the East on Sunday at the Arena.
TMS PHOTC
Shaquille O'Neal, of the Los Angeles Lakers, slams down two
points in front of Atlanta's Dikembe Mutombo during the 2000
NBA All-Star game at the Oakland Arena, Sunday, February
13, 2000.
The Twin Towers from rival West
ern Conference contenders shared the
Most Valuable Player award and once
again showed that size does matter.
"Size really was the difference in
this game, - said West coach Phil Jack
son. "The size and athleticism we had
was the difference
East coach Jeff Van Gundy of the
Knicks agreed with Jackson.
"Well, their size, 1 think, was over
whelming for us, just because of the
structure of the team. We had basi
cally (guards), and at least we had a
couple of big guys. But not enough
to really compete inside with them.-
O'Neal, who also blocked three
shots, achieved his numbers even
though he sat out the fourth quarter
with a stiff shoulder.
O'Neal missed out on an All-Star
Game MVP award three years ago in
San Antonio when Michael Jordan
was awarded the honor.
"It was his time," said Kobe Bryant,
O'Neal's Laker teammate.
Duncan and Kevin Garnett each
scored 24 points and O'Neal tallied
22. Duncan also pulled down 14 re
bounds and O'Neal nine.
"There were a lot of exciting play
ers on the floor, especially on that East
end," O'Neal said. "They were very
Tom Landry dies at 75
Jry t,
nearly a year-long fight with leukemia. The 78-year-old Landry •
coached the. Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, winning two Super Bowls
In five appearances.
small, very fast. (But) we had spec
tacular one-on-one plays."
In a game full of highlight-film
material, Jackson noted his favorite.
"I think Tim Duncan's left-handed
dunk at the end of the game was an
incredible display of versatility and
power at the same time," Jackson
said.
O'Neal's favorite play?
like the fast break better. My
teammates were calling me the "Big
Luggage' because of my handles,"
O'Neal said.
"In these kind of games, our con
cern as a coaching staff... obviously
all my coaches wanted to win this
game because I think the difference
in pay is 2 to 1," Jackson said. "We
thought the shooting of Carter and the
speed of Carter and (Grant) Hill
would be difficult for Kevin Garnett
and Tim Duncan to play. But they're
such agile players. They have great
moxie. And their ability to cover on
the outside and the inside, I thought,
was very good. And Shaq was a pow
erhouse out there."
The West outrebounded the East
58-46. And West point guard Jason
Kidd of Phoenix handed out a game
high 14 assists. West guard Gary
Payton of Seattle had eight assists.
"It's a lot of fun playing with those
guys," said Duncan. "I play with them
during the summer, and it's incred
ible to be out there with them. You
have to keep your eyes open and your
head up because they'll find you
wherever you are. To have something
like that on the court takes a lot of
pressure off you. You have to run with
them and know that the ball is com
ing at some point."