The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 6

SFC. 0 The Beacon Journal Saturday June 13, 1998 NHL Finals Caps goalie Olaf Kolzig hasn't been sitting down on the job during Stanley Cup playoffs. World Cup Paraguay 0 Bulgaria 0 Denmark 1 Saudi Arabia 0 French 3 South Africa 0 B6 Sports NBA Finals INDIANS RAINED OUT 9 -f ttr AW CD I r- PHIL MASTURZO Beacon Journal Manny Ramirez can be a contradiction to many onlookers, shy and reserved at times and clowning around at other times. Manny is just a contradiction Outfielder sometimes is shy, sometimes a clown n. I 'i- i NEW YORK There is nothing but Spanish in the streets and the relentless beat of salsa music pounding from boom boxes.

This is Washington Heights, N.Y., only 10 minutes from Yankee Stadium. It's a place where subways clang under Mm W4i fx. I 1 The Mailman finally delivers. Utah's Finals in Chicago last night. TERRY Pluto Think Bulls will break up? Think again EDITOR'S NOTE: Last night's Bulls-Jazz game was not completed in time for this edition.

For a result, call the Beacon Journal Sco-reline at 330-996-3830. By Tom D'Angelo Cox Sen Serrice CHICAGO: The last dance? No chance. Don't believe Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson when they start talking about the Chicago Bulls breaking up after the NBA Finals. That trio has been all over the road when addressing this subject. Every word has been calculated to set up two men to take the fall if something does happen and they don't return Owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Vice President Jerry Krause.

If Jordan, Pippen and Co. end this surprisingly easy series against the Jazz in Game 5, it will be for one reason: To see The Jerrys squirm when they are presented with their Number of teams that have rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals. 33 Number of consecutive NBA Finals games in which Michael Jordan has scored 20 points or more. 4,436 Number of shots Michael Jordan has taken in NBA playoff games. sixth NBA championship trophy in the '90s.

That's why Jordan, when asked Thursday if this is the final run, said: "A lot of things can happen, and management has to choose a direction in terms of where they want to go." Now who's wearing the Bull's eye? Jordan and Pippen will be back next year. The biggest question marks are Jackson and Dennis Rodman. Jackson started the whole "Bulls Are Breaking Up" phenomenon by saying this would be his last contract. See DANCE, Page B6 for WKNR time," said WKNR program director Marvin Durant. But whether an emphasis on local hosts or syndicated shows is on the horizon for WKNR, Durant feels good about the total entertainment product the station is offering.

He and French agree that local hosts are not inherently better than syndicated shows, or vice-versa. See Radio, Page B6 gold, and then cut it all off. No one asks much of anything of Ramirez. He can be Manny. He is the hero of the neighborhood, the kid who made good.

Never is he happier than here. "That's because Manny is very shy and very sensitive," said Dave Nelson, the former Tribe coach and now a member of the team's radio crew. Nelson was charged with trying to teach Ramirez to play the outfield and how to stay on base without being picked off. When it comes to the Indians front office, coaches and most players, few were as close to Ramirez as Nelson yet even Nelson admits that he doesn't know Ramirez well. "Manny is very nice, but he tends to stay aloof and keep people at arm's length," Nelson said.

"Usually, he gets close to one guy a year. This season, See PLUTO, Page Bo Associated Press Indians vs. Yankees Time: 1:05 today Site: Yankee Stadium TV: FOX (Ch. 8) Radio: WAKR 1590-AM Pitching matchup: Jaret Wright (5-3, 3.75) vs. David Cone (8-1, 4.97) Today's forecast In N.Y.: Rain throughout the day, possibly into tomorrow.

can be a fun time for a manager as well as the players. But for the guy who picks the non-starters and the pitching staff that is, the manager the All-Star Game can be a dandy way to make enemies. Practically every player with anything close to All-Star credentials thinks he should be on the team. And it's almost impossible to pick a roster without leaving a deserving player See Tribe, Page B5 n) i.tf 1 Future remains on Associated Press Luc Longley in Game 5 of the NBA hazy side isn't sure what will happen basketball and hockey. After six years as the Indians' flagship station and a mostly local format, the station has changed dramatically and with the station swap to Capstar Broadcasting Corp.

(pending Federal Communications Commission approval), no one is sure what the future holds. "We have no indication at this ground and steam rises from vents on the sidewalks. To the Tribe's Manny Ramirez, this is home. It is where he lived from the time he was 13, and it is where he headed last night when the Tribe's game with New York was rained out. The Indians have always worried about Ramirez in these mean streets.

He has lots of friends, and not all of them are the kind the team would like to see in the company of their young star. But in Washington Heights, no one makes fun of Ramirez's baserunning. No one asks him why he dyed his hair a weird Albert Belle's recent heroics for the White Sox could cause a problem for Tribe manager Mike Hargrove come All-Star time. Hargrove manages just fine Then there is picking subs for All-Star Game By Sheldon Ocker Beacon Journal sl(ff writer New York Some people can't seem to get enough of managing. There will be no rest for Mike Hargrove when his team breaks for the All-Star Game, scheduled for July 7 in Colorado.

The Indians' skipper will be in charge of the American League squad. Not that he begged for the job. It's a perk (or a curse, depending on one's point of view) that comes with winning the pennant the previous year. Sure, there are parties and an exhibition game played by the sport's luminaries at least in part for laughs before a large national television audience. It 7- With new owners taking By Jason Butler Beacon Journal staff trriler Last year at this time, WKNR (1220-AM), then a Cablevision property, had a lineup that featured the Cleveland Indians, plus talk-show hosts Geoff Sindelar, Ronnie Duncan and Don Imus.

That was then. "KNR had everything going its Karl Malone shoots over Chicago's over, even program director way," said Steve French, a WNIR on-air personality who announces University of Akron games. This is now: Having changed owners twice, WKNR's main attractions include syndicated shows by Jim Rome, the "Fabulous Sports Babe" and ESPN Radio game-night coverage that brings listeners events such as playoff fighter. But after two years, Oliver was disappointed again, saying he "left him alone" because the fighter didn't live up to the discipline the trainer wanted to see. In between working with fighters, Oliver became a 9-to-5er in construction.

"I had to become financially safe before I got back into boxing," he said. "When that happened, I decided to look around in hopes that I would find a good fighter. "I keep hoping that one day I will find another Michael Dokes." See SONNY, Page B7 His boxing funk over, Oliver back as trainer Veteran is working with heavyweight Robert Davis BY RALPH PALLK Beacon Journal staff writer On the night in 1983 when Akron heavyweight Michael Dokes lost his heavyweight title belt to South African Gerrie Coetzee at the Coliseum, trainer Sonny Oliver spent most of the evening with Dokes in a hotel room, trying to comprehend what happened. They stared at one another. They were speechless.

Oliver was so distraught over Dokes' shocking defeat, he walked away from boxing for seven years. Oliver kept his distance from the boxing gyms. Then, in 1990, he returned to work with a promising I ROBIN WITEKBeacon Journal Sonny Oliver, who trained Akron's Michael Dokes during his championship years, Is back training and is working with Robert Davis, another young heavyweight from Akron..