1983_03 Insight March 1983

              Marrh 23, Iff*
Mr. 'D': Barmore shines in post-season
Ctetttiraed from page •
more "Barmore Bombs" and two
follow-ups in the half sealed the victory.
Following the game, Desi, who
usually has to play second fiddle to
Bernard Thompson and Ron Anderson, was the most sought after player
by television sports crews. He seemed
to be loving every minute of It
• "It felt good that I could play just
sis well as Ron and Bernard," said
£si after a light practice last Satur-
y. "All of my teammates were nap-
fly that I got a chance to show my
there's a tot of students who aren't
sure about their futures at Ms age
(21).
"It takes self-discipline before an
individual makes those kinds of decisions. I was 25-years-old before that
took place in my life."
For the most part, Barmore and
Grant are quite close. But occasionally Grant voices his concern of wanting
to see Desi accomplish more off the
basketball court "Deal will do what
you ask him to do on the floor." Grant
said. "I think Desi. has a really good
heart. If he has a problem, I think it's
the choices be makes away from tbe
court. I think Desi could be a straignt
'A' student, but its a matter of Desi
deciding what be wants to do. But
great deal of time thinking about Ms
future lately and appears to be picking up tbe discipline that Grant spoke
of. "Sure, I'd love to play pro ball, but
a lot depends on how we do In the NIT
tournament".he said. "If we go to
Madison Square Garden for the finals
and I play well, I think I'll get a
chance at a pro team.
"But M my mind, basketball isn't
everything. I only need one semester
and I'll have my radio-TV degree. So
it wouldn't be a letdown at aU if I
didn't make It into the pros. I love
working with cameras and everything
in television production."
Barmore's comments concerning
his future in professional basketball
would railuiy please Grant. "I'd
rather have Desi get a degree," Grant
said. "I don't care how well my
players do In the NBA. I'm not a
believer in college athletics being
played for the pros. Every player
should be a student first and an
athlete second."
Putting aside the career
preferences be has for his players,
Grant said he thinks "Desi is a person
who could play pro ball."
"But because of where he's bad to
play (center), Ms chances wiU not be
as good as they could have been,"
Grant said. "If he had played forward
here his chances would have been better, but we needed him Inside."
'People here (Fresno) treat me
the same whether I'm playing
well or riot, that's why I love
the Red Wave. They're good
people.'
—Barmore
Desi speaks often of his mother,
who passed away In 1978. Since that
time, be has been financially on his
own and has not had people to turn to
as most other college athletes do.
"I have to make my own decisions
now," Barmore said. "I can rely on
my father for some things, but he's a
really religious man who's not into
sports—so I have to do all of my decision making myself."
Game programs list Barmore's
hometown as Lanett, Alabama, but
Barmore considers New York his
'In grade school I sometimes
got into trouble gradewise ... I
thought basketball was the on-
ly way. Sometimes I would cut
school all day just to play
baskeihgXL3
—Barmore
Softball: 'Like a family'
home. It was there that be grew up
p; ""'ng basketball — and often got
Mmseu in*" trouble in the process.   '
"In grade school and high school I
sometimes got into trouble grade-
wise," Barmore said. "I thought
basketball was the only way.
Sometimes I would cut school all day
just to play basketball."
Desi's poor scholastic attitude
caught up with him shortly after his
family moved to Alabama before his
junior year of high school. After a
series of meetings with administrators and school board
members, it was determined that
Desi would not be able to play basketball that year, leaving him only one
year of varsity exposure.
"At that time my brothers
became a big factor in my life," said
Barmore, who is the youngest of 10
brothers and two sisters. "They told
me I would really hurt myself if I
didn't get my act together soon."
Most of all, Desi attributes encouragement from his mother for
pushing Mm "in the right direction."
"My mom was always pushing
me to do well," he said. "She kept me
in school when I didn't want to go to
school. She wanted very much for me
to be a professional athlete, but she
also wanted me to be a successful stu
dent. My mother wanted me to do the
best M whatever I tried."
Grant expressed sympathy for
the loneliness that Desi may feel in being separated from his family
members, most of whom still live in
New York. "Desi basically is alone
and that's pretty tough on a guy," he
said. "He hasn't seen most of his
family in four' or five years. He
wanted to go home to New York last
summer to see his family like most
students get to, but he had to stay here
and work."
While Desi may be far away from
Ms family, he says that he has found
warmth in the people of Fresno. "People here treat me tbe same whether
I'm playing well or not," he said.
"That's why I love the Red Wave.
They're good people."
Barmore's comments about
Grant were even stronger. "He's a
man I truely love and respect. We've
had our differences in the time I've
been here, but I know he only wants
what is best for me."
Although there are people who
have been highly supportive of Bar-
more, he says his number one fan is
still his mother. "Every game I ever
play is dedicated to her," he said. "I
always told her that I was going to buy
her her own restaurant — boy could
she cook. I guess she passed away
before I got the chance. But she'll
have that place anyway."
Desi smiled warmly as he seemed
to be picturing Ms loving mother.
"It'll be called Ida's place lo her
memory," he said.
A trip to the NIT finals in Madison
Square Garden would give Desi a
chance to play college basketball in
front of his "hometown people." for
the first time. But in the future, there
is a good chance Desi will make
Fresno his permanent place of
residence. "I'd really like to make
California my home," said Desi. "It's
a pretty state and tbe weather is
warm in Fresno almost all year
round."
But for now, Desi Barmore's
thoughts are concentrated on deciding
how be can best help tbe Bulldogs
reach the NIT finals. And he certainly
has Boyd Grant's blessings in pursuing that goal.
"Coach Grant talked to me and
told me that be really wants me to
play hard so that I won't have any
regrets later." As the words were
leaving Desi's lips, he stared off into
the distance as if he were searching
for a glimpse of his future.
Continued from page 5
"During this part of the year,
we're certainly like a family, we
spend so much Ume together," said
Pickel. _.
A science/agri-business major,
Ketchum wants to be a veterinarian.
She is trying to get into the vet program at U.C. Davis, but there are
1,000 applicants each year and only
130 available spots.
of the world if I don't make it, there Games to be held in Venezuela this
are other options. I'm not going to let August. She is one of 60 women who
it wreck my life."                          - will travel to Colorado Springs in June
Ward, an office administration for the tryouts. "It really gives you
major,  has  been  named  Most something to strive for," she said.
Valuable Softball Playr for the past Forvfhe players graduating this
three years. The numerous honors May. the or>portunity to play com-
and awards she has received during petiUve softball will die out There are
her years pitching for the Bulldogs no professional teams for women to
and the subsequent media attention Join. "This is the big time," said
haven't really changed her. she said. Pickel. "The only thing beyond is
Queen: An orderly chaos
'You have these goals you set for yourself
and achieving those goals is your success.'
—WendeWard
Her enthusiastic niannerisms are "You have these goals that you set for coaching."
lue as to why she was selected most yourself, and achieving those goals is         "I don't think our culture is ready
inspirational player of 1982 your success." to  financially   back   professional
"If I can't be a vet men God has a A 1963 All-American Candidate, women's softball," said Pickel. It will
different plan for my life," she said Ward says her greatest honor yet is be "at least another 20 years" before
matter>of-facUy. "It won't be the end tbe recent "out of the blue" invitation female athletes are considered for
to  trvout for  tbe  Pan  American that.
Continued from page 4
described the atmosphere as "mellow
and easygoing." the press had been
treated like "cattle," according to
Mitzi Evans of KMPH channel 26.
"The way they handled us, that
was tough," Evans recalled. "But
they didn't frisk us, that surprised
me."
The KSEE camera crew, according to Astore, had no problems
shooting footage of the motorcade's
arrival in the park. "Nobody hassled
us about it, but they would tell us to
move if we got In the way."
Both Mahler and Evans commented on the park rangers who were
following tbe media, saying that they
were watching the press from, behind
rocks or up in trees.
"It seemed chaotic but it was
organized," said Evans.
And this seemed to be the general
consensus among the local media.
Security was well organized, but
restricted tbe press a little too much.
But they all somewhat agreed
that It was generally a good opportunity for a reporter to shine.
"I covered three presidents, and
she gave me more butterflies," said
Mahler.
To Evans, it was probably her
most exciting assignment while with
KMPH, and she said one reason was
that tbe overseas press was there,
covering the royal tour of the West
Coast. "For tbe BBC guys, it was ho
hum by that Ume (the Yosemite
visit). To them, it's an everyday
thing, they couldn't understand the
bhffnss, but they got a big kick out of
Astore stated that because the
press accessibility was limited, she
didn't find her assignment very exciting. "It would have been very exciting to talk to her (the Queen)," a
discouraged Astore said.
And even Rose, frustrated as be
was, felt a certain degree of enthusiasm In covering the royal visit
"Any assignment that's busy or
dynamic is exciting," be replied.
He added that some readers
thought the Bee wrote too much on the
event, and others wanted to see more
coverage. "I think we had balanced
coverage ... and it was exciting
because (the Queen) is a symbol of
nearly 2,000 years of reigning monarchy."
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