The Times from Shreveport, Louisiana • Page 24

ft iHfFvrpoiT-poMFn city Trip Tim Calvin Natt Rick It obey Parish tops all-decade "r'' i 3: A James Silan 7 Dwight 'Ho Lamar XT) (fr- i v. I 4 i a PI a TS I- would not include Robert's sizzling figures in its statistics and, consequently, it cost him dearly in the All-America balloting. Had his stats counted, he would have won two NCAA rebounding titles. However, after Robert captained the champion 1975 U.S. Pan-American Games team and was its leading scorer, the news got out.

After that collegiate season he was named to a flock of All-America teams and was a No. 1 draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers. The best basketball player to ever pull on a pair of sneakers at the Shreveport school left a lot of memories. His rim-rattling dunk shots and spectacular "shot rejections" will be long remembered, but the big fellow was also agile enough to lead the fast break. Before a 1975 game, North-western's Tynes Hildebrand said, "I've talked to a lot of scouts and coaches and everybody agrees that Robert Parish is as good as any player in the country "The best big man in the country," echoed Virginia Commonwealth's Chuck Noe after a Shreveport game.

Fans in Monroe between 1975 and 1978 had the good fortune to be able to see another once-in-a-lifetime player in Natt. At 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Natt terrorized Northeast foes with his speed, agility and shooting touch, but, like Parish had to earn his most of his recognition outside collegiate circles. He beat out more highly publicized players to make the 1977 U.S. World University Games team, and, like Parish, the word began to get around. His career total of 2,581 points is the eighth best in NCAA history.

The Bastrop native averaged 23.9 points per game for his career and snared 11.89 rebounds. Perhaps most impressive, his career field goal accuracy mark was .574. Calvin made several All-America teams, was voted the Trans America Conference player of the year and was a No. 1 draft choice of the New Jersey Nets after his senior season. Car lea thfl Centenary cent it Robert Parish By JIM McLAIN Time Sports Writer The first in a series of decade-ending stories Now I know how Peter Graves and all those folks on TV's "Mission Impossible" felt every week.

My assignment this week: Pick an all-decade Louisiana collegiate basketball team. When you start checking the records you find that practically every school in the state produced a new career scoring leader during the 1970s. It was a decade that overflowed with great talent. Every National Basketball Association club owner knows you start at center when you build a franchise and that's where I started. And the "franchise center" in Louisiana during the 1970s was Centenary's 7-foot-l Robert Parish, a fellow who averaged in double digits in both scoring and rebounding in a four-year career that saw him erase practically every Gent record.

Then, you need a pair of strong forwards and who was stronger in the 1970s than Northeast's Calvin Natt and New Orlenian Rick Robey of Kentucky? Those guys had muscles on their muscles. For guards I picked the siege gunner. Bo Lamar, from Southwestern and Tallulah's James Silas, who was the outstanding player on a Stephen F. Austin team that "had SIX people chosen in the NBA draft. How good was Robert Parish? Good enough to get offers from the American Basketball Association right out of high school.

The late Babe McCarthy of the Dallas Chaparrals made "Slim" an offer right after he had led Woodlawn High of Shreveport to the 1972 state basketball crown. He was also good enough to bring on an NCAA investigation that netted the Gents a record six-year probation. Big Robert ended his career with the Gents with a rebounding average 16.9 per game that was higher than a lot of good players average in points. He also finished with a 21.6 points per game average. Due to the probation, the NCAA res "he other players 3,493 points in four years for the Ragin' Cajuns.

The 6-foot-l Lamar (1969-73), out of Columbus, Ohio, came to Lafayette as a largely overlooked kid. having gotten only 12 scholarship offers. One observer commented that Bo started to shoot when he got to the dressing room door. The funny thing was, he was making them. "Bo Lamar is the purest shooter I've seen," said Long Beach State's Jerry Tarkanian.

"He's a great player and his uncanny range virtually makes it almost impossible to play a zone against Southwestern." Bo, who led USL into the national playoffs before the NCAA erased USL's program for two years because of numerous rules violations, AVERAGED 31.2 points for his career. Lamar also went on to a pro basketball career. Silas, a 6-foot -2 all-around player who starred at SFA from 1968 to 1972, led the Lumberjacks to a 108-15 record that included three appearances in the NAIA national tourney at Kansas City. He was twice chosen NAIA All-America and two times was named to the NAIA All-Tourney team. Recently chosen to the Lone Star Conference all-decade team.

James is still active in pro basketball with the San Antonio Spurs. "Absolutely the best athlete we've ever had at Stephen F. Austin. We've had some good ones, but he stands out above them," says retired Lumberjack Coach Marshall Brown. "He could do everything.

He could rebound, shoot, run. He got the tip in some playoff games against guys 6-9 and up. He could take care of the ball when we needed to and he could hit those free throws. "I remember one time against Texas AIM he hit 18 in a row. "Calvin was a complete player," said NLU Coach Lenny Fant, who figured when Natt left it was time for him to retire.

"He has no weakness as far as basketball goes. He was a tremendous jumper, our best feeder. I dont know of anything he did weak or even close to it. He was, by far, the best player I ever coached." Robey was the state's No. 1 prep player in 1974 when he led New Orleans' Brother Martin High to the state big school championship.

At 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds, Robey was employed both as a center and a forward by Wildcat Coach Joe Hall and in 1978 led Kentucky to the national championship. That year, his senior campaign, he was chosen the Southeastern Conference's player of the year. His 14.4 points per game senior scoring average wasnt that impressive, but his sizzling 63.5 percent field goal shooting was. It was the fifth best of all time in the SEC. The two-time All-SEC star was named to several All-America teams in 1978 and was also a member of the 1975 Pan American Games team along with Parish.

"Rick is unmatched in aggressiveness, hustle and desire. These usually are qualities found in a small guard, but when coupled with Rob-ey's physique, these qualities take on awesome proportions," said Hall. The 1977-78 Kentucky team was one of the most physical ever to play in the SEC and Robey supplied large doses of muscle and is now playing the same role with the Boston Celtics. When you talk about Bo Lamar, you talk about scoring. Outside of Pete Maravich (who is not eligible for the all-decade team because he played only one half season, 1969-70, in this decade), Bo is the most prolific scorer in state history, tossing in a qu, and Washington respectively and Rudd uas with the Knicks last season.

In addition, LSU has had some fine players during the decade. Al "Apple" Sanders, who led the SEC in rebounding once during the early part of the decade and was a first team all-loop pick, guard Eddie Palubinskas, an Aussie import made the second team in 1973, classy ballhandler Kenny Higgs, a three-time second team All-SEC choice and current players Durand Macklin and Dewayne Scales, 6-7 and 6-9 respectively, who could go down as among the greatest Bengals of all times. Slick Watts, one of Xavier's top plavers, had a good career in the NBA. And, there are many others. JIM McLAIN hatiat about Mike Green of Louisi-Tech? How about Larry Wright Prambling? had Edmund LauTence now his brother, David) and jot "Bull" Rudd.

qUxry Wilson was probably greatest player ever and vjjUniversity of New Orleans had jne Cooper, who was on the NBA torookie team last year, and Wilbur hjjjind, who spent three years with ropiicago Bulls. jL's Andrew Toney is en route to ming one of his school's top ers. (case can be made for all of those 26. ers and more for a Louisiana team, but. since only five can to at a time.

I decided to pick just Jhnany on The Times team of the qjj Green and Wright are still ane in the NBA with Kansas City fir: Aging Charlie Joiner now a thinking man's receiver By JERRY MAGEE Gannett News Service SAN DIEGO When another pretty good receiver for the San Diego Chargers named Lance Alworth was Charlie Joiner's age, he retired. Wide receivers seldom endure into their 30s in the National Football League. Theirs are skills that spring like a fount from the qualities of youth, from the quick step, the sudden reaction, the fitness and durability of the young, and these endowments are fleeting. Now consider Joiner, a Mansfield, La native trained at Grambling State. At 32, in his 11th professional season, Charlie has made it his best.

His 72 receptions for 1,008 yards for the Chargers are more than he ever made. They also are, to offer a point of comparison, 11 more than second-year superstar John Jefferson, his celebrated associate, possesses. The ages of some others among the NFL's ranking receivers? Ahmad Rashad is 30. Tony Hill is 23. Jerry Butler is 22.

Isaac Curtis is 29. Nat Moore is 28. Stanley Morgan is 24. Wesley Walker is 24. John StaUworth is 27.

Lynn Swann is 27. Steve Largent is 25. Wallace Francis is 28. Joiner continues to be as successful as as he is because he is a thinking man's receiver. Less than six-feet tall and not overly fast, he thinks himself into positions in which he can make catches.

"He is, by far, the most knowledgeable receiver I've ever been around," coach Don Coryell said. "He's always thinking, always using his mind. Of course, he's a CPA and not many guys who can fool around with numbers like that are not intelligent. But in a football sense he's innately bright and most of all, he really wants to contribute. I think he's just wonderful." Joiner represents the one factor in the San Diego offense that the club in July could not be certain would be there.

He had knee problems last year. But on the day rookies reported, there was Joiner, wise and unsmiling, joining them by his own choice, fit after working out twice a day in Houston through the off-season. The most agreeable of men, he doesn't laugh a lot. He is a professional. To him football is a business.

"I take it seriously, very seriously," Joiner said. "There are times when I laugh and joke but most of the time, I'm serious, especially when I'm preparing for a game. You have to be ready on Sunday. i "It's fun. Just playing football is fun.

I just like to play it." "He's like an Archie Moore or a Jersey Joe Wolcott; he's just extremely strong," Coryell said. "He never seems to get tired. His granddaddy probably died at 106." Joiner does have an uncle who is 101. For how well he is holding up, consider this: In the Chargers' 13th game, a 28-7 conquest of Kansas City, he caught nine of Dan Fouts' passes for 123 yards and one touchdown. In the 14th game, a 28-26 Atlanta success, he took eight more passes for 99 yards.

And in the division title game, a victory over Denver, he was 3-for-58 for one touchdown, playing hurt, and coming back twice after being battered by Bronco tacklers. He is contradicting the aging process more with his mind than his muscles. "Charlie's amazing," general manager Johnny Sanders observed. "He's brilliant in running routes. When he leaves the line of scrimmage, he knows where everybody's going." The education of Charlie Joiner as a wide receiver began in 1969 with the Houston Oilers, for whom he was a defensive back.

In that time the player limit was not as large as it is now, and he had to double as the Oilers' fourth wide receiver behind Jim Beirne, Jerry LeVias and Mac Haik. Pretty soon, a receivers coach named Fran Polsfoot, now with Denver, had the great and good sense to recognize Joiner's ability as a receiver. He learned. About defenses. About techniques.

Watch him. His weight always is forward, his shoulders above his knees. When most receivers make a cut, they raise their bodies slightly. Joiner lowers his. Few other receivers, if any, can do this.

It is an acquired thing. 'The lower you get, the better orf you are," he said. "It's a good thing to learn." When he makes a catch, he rarely takes a thunderous hit, simply because he is aware where all the defenders are. "I try to stay abreast of everything going on in football," the veteran said. "It used to be when I was with Houston they didn't play anything but bump-and-run, man-to-man.

Now there are zones, man-to-man zones (the safeties deep on the outside, the linebackers going man-to-man on the backs, the corner defenders playing man-to-man on the wide receivers), half-zone. They've got all kinds of variations. "I think it's because the coaches are younger and more imaginative." For why at his age he has been able to have such a rewarding season, he has a simple response. "Just playin', I guess," he said with a shrug. "There's a good situation here.

I'm not a sprinter but I still think I can get deep on people. In certain situations, I can do things; I've retained quite a bit of my quickness. "But the thing which has helped me most is playing on the other side of J.J. Right now, I think he's the best receiver in the league. He has to attract attention.

The least I can do is keep defenses from double covering him." fir "'iVX Jor N. I. Sherlock Holts insas Head uoacn Lou tioitz casts a of Holmes' logic as he goes against Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide. (UPI Telephoto) rlock Holmes pose as he contemplates the On during team practice Friday for the 1 3ming Sugar Bowl. Holtz may need some entenary has first gym slate jr the first tune in the history of the Gold I.

Centenary College will have a regular zone qualifying meet for women on Friday-Saturday, Jan. 11-12. That is one of four zone qualifying meets that serves as a first step for qualification for the Summer Olympics in Moscow. Centenary will host Oral Roberts on Thursday, Jan. 17, University of Central Arkansas on Saturday, March 1, and Memphis State on Friday, March 7.

Season tickets for those meets will be on sale in the Centenary Athletic Department. gymnastics schedule. rotenary boasts the two-time AIAW Division II Hnerly known as Small College) national Snpionship team and the try for a third straight will be the climax of the home schedule. The pinal championship meet will be held in the Dome on March 28-29. Jjfore that.

Centenary will participate in seven ISlar season meets three of them in the Gold and will also host the U.S. Olympic Team.