THE bottom line for point guards in basketball is the same as it is for pitchers in baseball and quarterbacks in football -- wins and losses. Period. Throw all the other stats away at these positions. Iverson lacks rookie
of year essential:winsYou've got to admire pitchers like Early Wynn and Jack Morris. They were tough even when they didn't have their best stuff, always seeming to win, whether the score was 10-8 or 1-0.
Jack McDowell used to be the same kind of pitcher, at least before his horrendous start this fall and banishment to the Cleveland bullpen.
In football, Joe Montana was never the most physically talented quarterback in the NFL, but he was definitely the most effective. The guy had a knack for doing what was needed to win games, especially Super Bowls.
In basketball, Magic Johnson -- before he became a hypocrite in the ref-bumping incident after he unretired two years ago -- often gave up scoring opportunities to distribute the ball and make his team better.
That's why it would be a travesty if Allen Iverson of the 76ers is voted NBA Rookie of the Year. Sure, Iverson is a tremendous talent who can light up the scoreboard.
But who cares how many points he scores if his team keeps losing?
I'm with Utah forward Karl Malone (my choice for league MVP), who calls Iverson's recent performance "a mockery of the game," especially when the Sixers call time out in a game they have already lost, just so Iverson can get 40 points.
SPEAKING of point guards in the news, something's going to have to give soon in the Isiah Thomas situation.
In a new book called "Money Players" by heavy-hitting sports journalists Armen Keteyian (ABC), Harvey Araton (New York Times) and Martin Dardis (Sports Illustrated), Thomas and teammate James Edwards are accused of point shaving during their NBA careers with the Detroit Pistons. Now the executive vice president of the Toronto Raptors, Thomas is trying to become the team's majority owner.
If the allegations in the book have any credence at all, you would think Thomas would have to clear his name before anything is done with his ownership bid.
But the NBA is backing Thomas, saying the allegations are groundless.
Thomas admits to having gambled while he was a player, but says he never point-shaved or bet on games.
"Almost all athletes gamble," said Tony Tyler, the athletic director at St. Francis High School, who was Thomas' teammate in high school in Chicago. "But I don't think it's possible for Isiah to have done what the book suggests. He had too much loyalty to his teammates and he loved the game of basketball too much to ever do something to lower the integrity of the game."
SHOULD San Francisco Giants fans start celebrating already? Yes, because they won't have much to cheer about after this weekend.
The Giants got their first reality check this week, and came out of it fairly well: they split a pair of games with the Atlanta Braves and still have a slim hold on first place in the National League West.
But now it's on to the Astrodome and a series with red-hot Houston, which is leading the NL Central by 21/2 games.
Sorry, Giant fans, but by the end of the weekend San Francisco will no longer be ahead of the Rockies.
Personally, I'd love to see Rod Beck continue to rack up saves, since he is the closer on my fantasy team.
But the Giants simply do not have the offensive firepower and pitching depth to stay ahead of Colorado, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at reardon@aloha.com.
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