The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 13

fr section Saturday, March 22, 1980 Heisman Trophy winner John Cap-pelletti is traded by Los Angeles Rams to San Diego Chargers. Page B2. it EfW THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER SS82B NCAA Final Four Cuts To Final Two Today nrmmnrr LJuUZAiUULxX nmm i is a mm PHI 1 1 I Boilermakers Feels Mystique Of UCLA Unfay, Amesgay For UL on the insiite I I I I Jr fife. -f JT I IN x' i i 'Jir. i '--A A brJi K' i i 'fr-4.

1 I I if4 BY DICK FORBES Sports Reporter INDIANAPOLIS-Can the Cinderella team beat the team with the franchise? That's the question that will be answered late today when UCLA's Bruins, the team that came from nowhere, tackle the Purdue Boilermakers with the "franchise" in 7-foot-1 Joe Barry Carroll. The decision comes in the second semifinal game of the National Collegiate Basketball Championship at Market Square Arena, with the winner, on Monday night, meeting the winner of today's opening scrap between Iowa and No. 2-ranked Louisville, the Metro Conference champion. Purdue coach Lee Rose, whose rise In the world of big time college basketball began as an assistant at University of Cincinnati, conceded Friday that there is a "certain mystique" about playing UCLA. "We share together 10 national championships," Rose kidded after the Boilermakers' final workout.

"They have 10 and we have none." JUNIOR GUARD Brian Walker from nearby Lebanon, Purdue's playmaker, agreed with the mystique. "They have a name," Walker said. "There's something there, and that's why we look forward to playing them. There's a cer-tain challenge about playing UCLA." Senior forward Arnette Hall-man, who at 6-7 Is invariably assigned to guard the other team's best scorer, also said, "There's a certain feeling you have when you hear about UCLA. I guess you could call it a mystique, but It doesn't bother me.

I think all of us may work harder as a result." Hallman Is certain to be assigned to guard UCLA's 6-8 senior forward Kiki Vandeweghe who has a 19.5 points per game scoring average. But it is not his scoring power that concerns Purdue. The biggest worry Is the Bruins' speed and quickness. When UCLA head coach Larry Brown opened practice last October he found a team hurt tremendously by the graduation of three starters. He experimented.

He tried all kinds of combinations. WHEN HE finally found the formula, resulting in UCLA victories in seven of their last nine regular season games, and nine of the final 12, it came down to seniors James Wilkes and Vandeweghe at forwards, 6-6 sophomore Mike Sanders A Rose without thorns, Page B-4 at center and freshman guards Rod Foster and Michael Holton. One of the game's most Influential coaches, DePaul's Ray Meyer, likes UCLA's speed, too. After all, DePaul played and beat the Bruins during the season. But he still leans toward the team with the "franchise," and that would be Purdue plus Carroll.

"The big guy will score more points by accident than the little guys on purpose," Meyer said Friday. "But Keith Edmonson and Drake Morris must shoot well or Purdue will get beaten. UCLA does a good of sealing of a pivot." Meyer is accompanied here by his great star Mark Aguirre, who Friday was named Associated Press Player-of-the-Year, and Aguirre was a little more emphatic. "YOU HAVE to go with the big guy," Aguirre said. "If Carroll has one decent night, then a great night, Purdue will win It all.

The big guy Is a franchise. He has the ability to dominate, and there's no one In college ball who can stop him." Rose expects UCLA to "Jam" Carroll. "They've been doing that to him all year," Rose said, "but in the last four games It hasn't worked. I can't think of any defense that hasn't been used against him. We've seen 'em all.

"I have not seen UCLA play, ex-' cept on television, and that's deceiv- ing. They've been playing man-for-man, and sagging, and that's what we expect. Beyond that, I don't know. Nobody's played him alone except Syracuse." Syracuse beat the Boilermakers, 66-61, In the last game before the Big Ten season opened. PURDUE WILL start Carroll, Hallman and Morris In the front line.

That's 7-1, 6-7 and 6-5. Edmonson and Walker are the guards. Purdue is "loose," in the opinion of Walker. "Early in the season we expected to do well," he said, "but then I think we started remembering how well we played last year, and we were leading the Big Ten for a long time. Maybe we tightened up.

Who knows? "But when Ohio State knocked us out of any chance at winning the Big Ten (in the next-to-the-last game of the season at West Lafayette), the lid came off and we Just relaxed." BY CINDY MORRIS Sports Reporter INDIANAPOLIS An era has come to an end for the University of Louisville, not with a bang or a whimper, but with an uffawgay. (That's pig Latin, official language of the Louisville Cardinals, for guffaw.) Call them the Doctors of Dunk no more. The Founders of Fun have arrived. "It's over." said Derek Smith, Louisville orwardfay (forward, get it?) and pig Latin instigator, "There's no more Doctors of Dunk. Before, they tried to dunk the ball three feet from the goal a lot of times.

"Darrell Griffith deserves to be called Dr. Dunkensteln still. He's had at least 40 dunks this year. But I'm only a practice dunker. I have only four dunks In games this year.

This team is known for Its hustle." AND FUN. In fact, coach Denny Crum's Louisville Cardinals could be the loosest team ever to go into the Final Four. The young, fun-loving crew talks Pig Latin In practice and games (and when coach Crum is within earshot), and they are not above taking a sports writer to the showers for unpopular Journalism. After practicing Friday for today's 1:24 p.m. semifinal game with Iowa at Market Square Arena, they gave a clinic in having fun at a formal press conference.

The meeting began like this: Sports writer: "Darrell Griffith, how does it feel to be a living legend Everyone calls you a Living Legend." Griff 1th: Derek Smith: "I think it's great. I've been a legend all my life." (Smith was recruited by three colleges.) Crum rolled his eyes and commented, "You see how loose they are." THE SPORTS writer tried again. And again, Smith answered the question, "We've been loose all year," Crum said. "And we've shot the ball well. Everybody's loose right now.

And that's the best attitude to have going into a tournament." "Too loose," a critic muttered. But maybe not. "In practice -Monday, we were too loose," Smith said. "And coach chewed us out. We came back really up Tuesday and had a great practice." The Iowa Hawkeyes, in contrast, are a more sober group.

This team has been hurt, and it has endured. After Iowa climbed into the top 10, its star guard, senior Ronnie Lester, injured his knee around Christmastime and missed 15 games. Without him, Iowa went 8-7. With him, the team is 15-1. Lester still has not regained his original form.

"He still Isn't able to make some of his spin moves," said Iowa coach Lute Olson. "But his timing" comes back a little better each day." AND LESTER was not the only casualty. Freshman forward Mark Gannon, who entered the starting lineup after Lester's injury, hurt his DARRELL GRIFFITH, the University of Louisville's "Dr. Dunkenstein," practices his crowd pleasing maneuver during practice at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis Friday. Griffith and his UL team face the Iowa Hawkeyes In the first game of today's NCAA Basketball Championships.

UCLA and Purdue meet in the second game. (See story on Griffith's formative years, Page B-4). It's UCLA Again, But It's Not The Same INDIANAPOLIS The uniforms are the same as when Lew Alclndor and Bill Walton were filling them out so famously. The Jerseys are daisy white or sky blue inose iour letters are splashed across the chest like four bursts of sunlight: UCLA. Can there be an American alive today who does not recognize those letters, or those uniforms? Someone make a note to ask that question during the next census.

This afternoon, for the 14th time in the last 19 years. UCLA will be playing In the NCAA basketball semifinals. And if it wins two more games, UCLA will have Its 11th national championship. But If that should occur, this championship will be quite different from the others. Because those sky blue uniforms are all that link this UCLA team to the ones that once hammered out 88 straight victories.

NO. WAIT. There is one more link. Larry Farmer. On the Bill Walton teams, Farmer was the strong forward who drew the toughest defensive assignment and always managed to score In double figures.

Now, he Is an assistant coach for the Bruins. He is the only man who has been in the locker rooms of both John Wooden, the old wizard, and new UCLA coach Larry Brown, the whiz. Farmer also was an assistant under Gene Bartow and Gary Cunningham, the two coaches who bridged the gap between then and now. This Is why Larry Farmer is such a qualified expert on the UCLA state of affairs, and if you ask him, he will tell you how much has changed between his playing days and these days. "Like night and day.

Farmer said Friday after UCLA's practice. "When I was playing, I remember winning the national championship at the Astrodome 'and being surprised at how quiet Jt was in the locker room afterward. It was like everyone just accepted It. This team tnis team has almost taken on the personality of a team you'd see In high school. They get after it pretty good when we win." UCLA new-found childish spirit is directly related to the team's new-found children.

Three freshmen have elbowed their way Into the Bruins' starting lineup, and Brown Is a 39-year-old coach who looks young enough to be renting a tux for a high school prom. Now, after practice, freshman Cliff Pruitt leads the squad in a Jabberwocky cheer LaBumba, Icky La Picky Wick. Would Bill Walton ever have done that? NOW BEFORE games, Brown himself will stand in front of the crowd and lead hand-clapping chants. Once before a home game this season, he spent the night in a sleeping bag camped outside Pauley Pavilion with the traditional mob of students which squats there to get the best seats. Would John Wooden ever have no, don't even ask.

It would be wrong, however, to rule out completely the scent of UCLA past from this team. Wooden, for Instance, counseled Brown in the middle of this troubled season when the Bruins were 8-6. After the counseling, Brown switched to the old favorite UCLA high-post offense, which has brought 13 victories in the last 16 games. Farmer helped direct the players through their Friday workout, and then went to the room to dress, pondering nostalgia. "THIS FEELS so good," he said.

"Remember, I'm an alum. I want to see good basketball continue here. I've dragged a couple of our young players into my office to watch films of when I was playing. But actually, coach Brown mentions the past more than I do. "I think UCLA basketball has suffered in the last five or so years first, because of the coaching changes, and second, because of the standards it set.

No, I don't believe any team will do what we did again. College basketball has just gotten balanced, and the freshman eligible rule nas changed things." It hasn't changed one tning. UCLA is in the Final Four. index rts Editor FRANK HINCHEY reiephone 721-2700 ext. 240 (After 4 Scores 721-0600, 721-0616 (24 hours) rolina State, 77-64, and Syracuse, 88- 77, in the NCAA tournament and edged Georgetown, 81-80, to win the East Regional.

"We're stronger because of the adversity," Olson said. "It doesn't matter what happens in a game. If something happens to someone, someone else will come through. This is one of our strong points." Strange-Irwin, Stacy Links Leaders own knee shortly thereafter and has not played since. Oannon could conceiveably play today, however.

Then starting guard Kenny Arnold and reserve Bobby Hansen are playing with broken bones in their hands. And assistant coach Tony McAndrews is only doubtful as a spectator today, after being critically injured in a plane crash February 19. The troubles were almost enough to drive Olson to the drink. "With all the problems we've had, I called my travel agency a couple of times," Olson said. "But I couldn't come up with enough money to go to the Bahamas." In the long run, however, the troubles drove Olson and his team to the Final Four.

AFTER BEATING Illinois to finish tied with Minnesota for fourth in the Big 10 with Lester in the lineup for the first time in nine games-Iowa whipped Virginia Commonwealth, 86-72, North Ca Strange, one of the last men on the unforgiving Sawgrass course in the TPC, finished a round of 71 with birdie putts of 15 and five feet, his two-round, flve-under par 139 gaining a share of the lead in the annual championship of golf's touring men players. Irwin, current U.S. Open champion, had to work hard to match par-72 which he called "a good score, excellent." "There was a lot of golf course out there today," Irwin sighed wearily after his journey through howling winds and a series of rain WHILE THE name may conjure up thoughts of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, this young catching prospect is stroking his first real look at major league pitching at a .333 clip with three hits and two RBIs in nine at-bats. He was in the Reds' major league camp a year ago but appeared in only three games, batted once and was asked to sacrifice bunt. He was successful.

Perhaps nobody has ever heard of him outside of Eugene, Shelby, N.C., Tampa and his hometown of Orlando, but Christmas doesn't play In a ball park where some clown in the crowd doesn't notice his name. "Deck the halls with boughs of holly Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la," one fan sang at the topfof his lungs the other day. BY ASSOCIATED PRESS Curtis Strange birdled his last two holes and tied Hale Irwin for the second-round lead Friday in the storm-delayed second round of the Tournament Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Meanwhile, at Las Vegas, Hollis Stacy played almost all her round before chilly winds and intermittent rain sent scores soaring, and her even-par 72 earned a two-stroke, second-round lead over Jo Ann Washam in the $200,000 LPGA National Pro-Am. ll if I' IPi! I'fl I jfe'- 1 starting for Iowa along with Les ter, a e-foot-Z senior guard, and Ar nold, a 6-2 sophomore, will be 6-6 sophomore forward Kevin Boyle, 6-5 junior forward vince Brooklns, and probably 6-10 Junior center Steve Krafclsln.

Starting for Louisville along with Griffith, a 6-4 senior, and Smith, a 6-6 sophomore, will be 6-4 sophomore guard Jerry Eaves, 6-8 sophomore forward Wiley Brown, and 6-7 freshman center Rodney McCray. The winner will play In the championship game at 9:15 p.m. Monday against the winner of today's second game between UCLA and Purdue. squalls that caused a one-hour delay in play. TOM WATSON, one of three players tied a single shot back, agreed.

"Another fun day at Saw-grass," he said, tongue-in-cheek. Watson played his front side in a spectacular 32 and had a three-shot lead at that point. But he bogeyed three of his last five holes played Into the teeth of the winds that gusted well over 30 mph-and finished with 71 and a 140 total. He was tied at 140 with Lee Trevlno (par 72) and Steve Melnyk. Shopping In Cocoa, Christmas stepped out of the batter's box during the game and one of the patrons complained, "We gonna wait until Christmas?" IN WINTER Haven, the organist played White Christmas when he came to bat.

Spring training ball parks are small. Hecklers have called him Steve Thanksgiving, Steve Halloween and, just last Monday, Steve St. Patrick's Day. "They associate me with all the holidays," said Christmas, who wears No. 62 on his back.

"You try to block them out, but you can't help but hear them." His teammates simply call him "Tree." If the quips bug Christmas, he has a strange way of showing it. Fa-lala-la, la-la-la-la. Christmas Rapping And BY RAY BUCK Sports Reporter FT. MYERS, Christmas is pounding spring pitching as if he has a chance to be with the Cincinnati Reds this season. But the 22-year-old catcher must wait his turn In line for Johnny Bench to retire.

Don Werner is ahead of him. Dave Van Gorder is ahead of him. Now Harry Spllman has been handed a catcher's mitt and steel mask. "Definitely, I'm trying to make an Impression," Christmas said around the batting cage Friday. "I was nervous at first but I feel more comfortable now.

And being a left-handed hitter doesn't hurt my chancf any." Enquirer photo BY GERRY WOLTER SHE'S GOT BUG TO RIDE: Patti Cooksey, 22, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, arrives at Latonia Race Course Friday night hoping to improve her riding skills on the Kentucky thoroughbred racing circuit after a successful beginning at Waterford Park, W. Va. Riding professionally only since last August, Cooksey, an apprentice, ranks among the national leaders in victories this year. See story, Page B-5. BASEBALL BJ BASKETBALL B-4 HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BJ HORSE RACING B-5.