Show B4 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Tuesday April 27 2004 NBA A-R- od Continued from B1 lost 270 games and were atop the division for only three days one of those after winning last year's season opener While Rodriguez is finally starling to shake his slump in New York the Yankees were swept by Boston last weekend to drop to 1 1 and 4 12 games out in the AL East The last time New York was three games under 500 this late in the season was 1997 the last time they didn't finish first “It's not going to get any easier I'd rather go through this now than any other time'’ Rodriguez said “We will turn dire predictions of a KXMoss season Imagine the thoughts after the Rangers lost their first two games Rut three weeks later Texas lops the division after a e weekend sweep of Seattle that culminated with a ARLINGTON Texas (AP) — After three straight last-plafinishes in Texas Alex Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 21 points but shot just with two of his baskets I from lhe free throw dunks He was Rodrigue wanted unit line including two with 33 seconds left that Now the American league got Dallas within two MVP's former team is lied for Michael Finley whose night the AL West lead while 16 points on included had Rodrigue and the New York and seven Nash had and assists nine points 14-6 win Yankees are struggling rebounds The Rangers are still scoring The Rangers built around a and Rookies Marquis Daniels lot a are of runs (58 per game) of core 'young players ur-9) the couldn't Josh Howard ( provide alter the opening stretch of despite the departed power hit3 the Mavericks' in lift same Game did tliey ters and lead the majors with a the season against division lone victory 3 5 batting average — the opponents They're even with This series matching the league’s two high- Anaheim for first place — and only team over 3(X) Their teams continued to look like someTexas won live of seven pitching staff the worst in the out a bad Eastern Conference of thing majors three of the last four against the Angels most of the first three quarters for matchup " seasons has a 434 ERA being young and everymuch energy on defense that so spent They AL in the this around" thing said about us we came have nothing left once they got seemed to they “We have a lot of confidence The Rangers whose last out and just wanted to play ball the back in our young guys" manager division title was in 1999 well" catcher Gerald Liird y Mavericks The usually jump Buck Sho waiter said “I'm not have sure turned it around said Monday “It's just chemin the were basket to v yet had aggressive going It’s without intentionally istry Our team is really open in free no their resulted touch of drives Many The last time Texas was and we like to have fun and do reality We’ve played 19 games either throws but those couldn't make they schedule So three games over 500 was at outof a a good job" The league’s mast accurate foul shooters 7 in June 2000 the sumfar so good" When Texas traded missed JO of their first 20 and finished at 61 mer before Rodriguez arrived Especially for a team comRodriguez just before spring percent The Rangers then lost eight in ing oil' four straight training ha ing already let go Sacramento wasn't much better at least not a row and spent most of the finishes of sluggers Rafael Palmeiro AP photo until Stojakovic found his stroke the last five time since at the bottom of the The Rangers have had reason to celebrate They're e AL MVP Juan and During the three seasons minutes of the third quarter AL West tied with Anaheim for first place in the AL West Gonzalez there were plenty of with Rodriguez the Rangers Stojakovic blew by Finley for a layup that turned into a three-poiplay and the Kings' first lead in more than a quarter Dallas went times a in is minuscule at less the first two the did since York Islanders New against average back ahead then he came back with a long 30 Against Colorado he’s given it against Pittsburgh in 1975 games He responded to the next Daljas has- jumper The Avalanche held San Jose to “The only thing we can worry up three goals in three games with ket his best move of the game faking — 7 in five team features a that shots the third highagainst period about is the next game” Continued from B1 Howard one — way then stepping back for a findPeter but continued forwards to Avalanche coach Tony Granato Forsberg scoring struggle wide Colopen Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk said “I know it will be our best Dampliousse off the back of ing the net against the stingy He capped his spurt with a floater from the It’s even more impressive conSharks Colorado has three goals orado goalie David Acbischer and like will we battle game baseline The play ended with Stojakovic on midway through the third period against San Jose after scoring 19 sidering Nabokov was 8 with a crazy’’ the ground and Kings coach Rick Adelman in in his the five to set up a possible sweep San two Dallas 259 average Jose didn't have a shot in previous games against in Denver the applauding Sacramento went from being to first round the third until Wednesday playoffs trips period Damphousse ' down by eight early in the period to leading by It wouldn't have been possible The Avalanche need to find a “I just try to do my job to take knocked in his own rebound off ' five going into the fourth without Nabokov :01 left Aebischer's back with everything that comes to me” way to get better in a hurry or Pistons 109 Bucks 92 3 and a with solid wins was said fie “Without the guy's Nabokov Aebischer blocked they’ll be swept for the first time ' Hamilton Richard scored 27 points and the best-onine shutouts during I in able do to it a be since Hartfnnl did Scott first attempt after help wouldn't Detroit Pistons shot 569 percent Monday Ihe regular season but it would five series in 1986 when the franHannan’s shot bounced hard off that" ' night in taking a 1 series lead with a 109-9- 2 chise was still in Quebec have heeii hard to predict he'd be Colorado was much better the boards but Damphousse used of the Milwaukee Bucks in rout the this good As for coming back from an 3 Aebischer as a backboard to score playoffs defensively limiting San Jose's Neither team had shot better than 45 percent Nabokov is 1 with two and down been' on the deficit that's only chances done inside the left post from behind cutting in the series that shifts to shutouts so far and his goals- twice in NHL history and not miscucs that left Acbischer help- the goal Auburn Hills Mich for Game 5 on Thursday ' night Padres manager Bruce Bochy ninth punching the first pitch he Wallace added 20 points for 667 him Rasheed with career homers ing into was ejected in the seventh inning Schmidt saw from Luis Ayala (0-Detroit while Chauncey Billups had 9 and became the first n field to score Jay of San Francisco’s top three for arguing with plate umpire Joe Tayshaun Prince 17 second Brinkman over an obstruction call from win this year-starters to Hamilton's layup with 6:26 left made it 5 lefty Continued from B2 V ' Akinori Olsuka (2-- ) threw two at first base Kirk Rueler is 2 and and the Bucks made their last run pulling the best start in franchise history! Brett Tomko is 1 Giants 3 Braves 2 with to 8 on Damon Jones's perfect innings in relief ' Armando Benitez struck out Livtin Hernandez held the Jason Schmidt earned his first Schmidt allowed two1 runs and ' ' 2:18 left for 3 3 innings Charles Johnson' with two-owin of the' season in San FrancisPadres hilless-fostruck out six in five innings The Prince responded with a and the his Dili save in It) chances ' hut gave up RBI singles to Payton co's victory over Atlanta Giants had not scored a run for Bucks never got closer than eight after that Jemmy Rurnit homered and and Ramon Hernandez in the him this year until going ahead 0 from the free The Pistons went Ray Durham hit an RBI triple Todd Helton had an RBI double fourth He allowed two runs and and Edgardo Alfonzo an RBI douin the third' throw line including making all 12 in the or Colorado five hits in 6 ble with two outs in the Giants' Jim Brower got six straight outs fourth quarter eight in the filial 1 :09 innings three-ru- n Padres 3 Expos 2 Jose Vidro and Tony Batista had' in two innings of relief and Matt third: Jones had 17 points and 10 assists for Mil- RBIs in the sixth to tie the score at 2 Miguel Ojeda drove in the winI' with waukee which also got 7 points and 12 Barry Bonds went Herges pitched a hitless ninth' for and chase Padres starter Jake Pca vy threc'walks two intentional leav his seventh save in eight chances ning run with two outs in the rebounds from Joe Smith ce three-gam- 1 1 8-- 1 -S 1 fifth-be- st 3) est-scori- ng shot-happ- A-R- od low-keyi- 162-ga- 30-2- last-pla- ce two-tim- - ‘ ' Sharks nt 1 1 : 8-- 1 1 Damp-houssc- ’s team-recor- d f- 3-- 0-- 7-- besl-of-sev- cn NL (1-- 3) left-cent- er 1 2) Pay-io- 89-'7- 0-- 1 right-hand- er 0-- r 95-8- ter 2-- I 3-- - 20-of-- 2l ! I -3 ' 0-f- nor said Monday “You start to Jazz Continued from BI ! : baskclbiill operations “We have a lot o jjixid young players mid we obviously could lose i me ” Tlv Ja have Ml players stjll under contract or who will be rcstricl-e- d on July I Only eight eaiibe protected' there is plentyol' time li decide before the expansion picks on Jime22or 23! ''The expansion diaTt is' 'six week'slot of things that still away Thvre-si l'i mi Mole lJ)eii”0'('on- Ijaxe Irec-agcnt- from Coiitiniu-- Bor Kolby Ra lings and Tylor Maxs- field " Kolby Rawlings had the (nily extra-bas- e hits for the Indians with tw o doubles' I le also scored once had an RBI and stole a base ' “I Kolby ’s) jiisi hitting the ball just really bitting it well" Hansen ' : ! saiil Vreston will hit the roadag'ain Wednesday w:lfen it travels to ’ a league matchup with Bear Lake “We should probably see Jheir No B1 ioo:l Ic liil good ake as liM had his laslhallgoing and then jlicylbijigi- ripdiilliciy that realix " kept them oj 'bafiii'cc axx xx - ' ' "lie jiii challenged lie them- haCk'illx iisi said ’Ilvi'v's my fastball fill n d you Valid lie did very "i Jl'' ' ' Mont-pelienf- ' hugs who went Miii’r4 gave 'IlieTiidiaiisa 3 Ulead iii the lop of Rrxx e the iillhxxdli aii The iotime American Fidk-giiRaw litii's wa iji the bottom of the sixiJ wheiHlje Hoaxers plated their ’ j'u'il'c iv'i i runs of t he! contest! j starter which RBI-singl- VinK ' alch a lot of tape on both free agents and the draft You evaluate ihe season you had with the coaching stall and then you try to make some' ' ' decisions'' O'Connor said the priority is eval- -' uating who will be available in the draft The deadline for early entries ' :is May JO and the fist of the com- plete pool won't he available until May 4 The Jazz have three first round picks in the June 24 draft Whir O'Connor coach Jerry Sloan and his staff think ax' ill be available will be a factor iii who Utah leaves Unprotect w ' kaii-Kdl- i ' f "' one' in the hours after her encounter given to the Woman and her family ' With the NBA star from a state victims’ compensation Bryant 25 has said he had consen- ' fund and have sought access to the woman's diaries amongother things sual sex with lhe woman at the Vail- -' Continued from B1 In a court filing District Attorney area resort where she worked last were the woman's former boyfriend and June lf cbnvicted of felony sexual :Mark Hurlbert said detail about vie- - an Eagle County sheriff's detective assault ihe Los Angeles Lakers' star tims compensation is confidential " Stale District information that even prosecutors do faces fo’uF years ro life in prison or Judge Terry Ruck- - : not have He also said such' money is ' riegle has heard testimony from more 20 years to life- on pnihation ' in who a thana ddzen witnesses in previous ' played paid to therapy providers not to A Bryant 'playoff i Houston in and was hearings about the woman's sexual alleged victims game Sunday ' scheduled activities around the time of the Hal Haddoii a lawyer for Bryant! to play again Wednesday !' has said the woman apparently alleged attack night in Los Angejes entered the ' v The judge has said he wants to end courthouse through a hack dor stayed in a $35000-a-mont- h the center' on on week this hand! fans the There wereno relevancy money arguments suggesting The judge reserved Tuesday to of the woman's sexual history Argucould bean incentive to continue the ' : ments have not yet been scheduled on resume a clbsed-doo- r court battle! hearing over a a separate defense challenge to CoJdefense request to throw out evj-- 1 Ruckriegle has already barred ' defense access to the woman's med- - V d law w hich generaldcnce including $ryant's recorded orado's “ T-the ical records: ' defense from to and an statement bars a investigators ly introducing y shirt stained with the woman's blood ' Thd womian's attorney and alleged victim's sex life as evidence both say they The woman’s attorney: John Clutic Bryant's iittomeys also warn to ' ' Bryant's attorneys want a trial date set iquickly has denied that she had sex with any know how much money has been ‘ rehabil-itatiof- : rape-sbiel- -- : - - those who work (in college campuses ' a better way'”' Brand saidJiist 16 months into a kirlii that are not Surprised in the least by hiw' '! s He-expires in January- 2(X)X' Brandhas presided iind what he's pro-" said Christine Plnnsky ' ii made already posed significant impact1' B2‘ ( ‘iintiniH-- friiin After llie ‘A " chairwoman of the NCAA's Manage- - ' M A increased the i :'!h’reat Io tile academic 'integrity TV r' numher-o- l ment Council and the women's ath- - required erire courses for limveijiif'f Ills solution: IV ucay incoming lresiman from l3 l(i 4 letic director at Texas ‘Tt's hard not C :! 'demies ' It rand advocated another increase io ' to support academic reform” As M ‘AVpieMih nt Bi 'iul Jkis 0 That w as approxvd last year apd the believes UapehiCk sweeping Molloveil tliro'iiglioii ihii ioiiiise will take effect in 2(X)8: wouldn't have wcurrcd with changes Me wants svlioiils jn h: k IJ aeeiumt-abl- e ' He iilsn supported raising the ' a more compromising president ti i uliiit lie y iisi i s their lop anioiint luiiirs A longtime critic (if the poor grad- of toward graduation :eihit':itriig Vudentv priiiirlx' s w uation ere to rates of athletes' at NCAA required 'T Ivlicve the !C'?A president schiMils! remain too It to conipJele sJikuIiI Lapchick supported Brand's eligible' adyocirte lor Viillege y decision to create a new forinula that Sfniit-i- a leader m reform arid slmiild passedycame col’would he in as a not think "I more in s penalize colleges for ath- l: x iVh it correcting ' letes who left sclMNil in g(xvd acadc-lege president than arefornKr but aiidliHiking fordoing ihiiigs in V- ! : 1 : - student-athlete- I'e’-ii- i ' I ' -- is - 42-4- 0 center Jarron Collins Center Curtis Borchardt who has played in just NBA 16 games still has a year remaining onhis contract “There's 'certain players who we Value greatly’’ O'Connor said ' 0 Connor also plans to take a look at this summer's free agents Last - 3-- f ar - ’ ouf sevenlnts oil A luei pitcher Nick Ad'im- voir iiichiiliii"lwcaMece triuo'' sea-son- pick are restrict- -' ed free agents along with third-yesccond-roun- d '' : ! luxton-baiige- first-roun- - ar faced rebuilding summer when-Utawithout John Stockton and Karl Mai- one the Jazz mostly struck out in the free agent market largely because their topTaigcts were restricted free agents and ended up staying with their teams ' The Jazz did OK without them and the finishing just missing playoffs in a season widely expected to be the worst in team history “I think people were nervous last year about our talenfjevel arid how good we could possibly be" Q'Con-no- r said “I think people look at it in a little different light” y And point guard Raul Lopez '' d Utah's pick three years ago is probably staying put after a solid rookie season averaging 37 assists and seven points as Carlos Arroyo's backup 's Arroyo and Mo Williams last - I ' ed for Charlotte Trading to move up in the draft also remains a possibility who' will have millions of dollars under the salary cap to play with “Everything's' possible” O’Cbn- nor said “Every kind of comhinq- tion there is to think of you want to ' look at it as a possibility”' O'Connor won't discuss specific " possibilities or speculation who ' he for left available Charlotte may but there arc some safe bets Utah js ' forward not going to let Andrei Kirilenko forward Matt Harpring' or guard Rajafiell go to the Bobcats for nothing " All-St- or good" Hansen said "We wanl'to nialie siire we’ve' seen all the NrJ pitchers before the i: djstnel tpurhaniehi"' Russell Madsen will he the starter! hur tin Indians on ifie hill Ie vTas the winning pitcher in Hreslon's 2 yietory in live opener ‘f a double- header Vs!' Rigby (his past Saturday 1 ! proh-lelii- ! entitlement culture on campuses as ' well as change the behavior'7 Brand said ‘‘Wc can’t legislate morality! ' y‘He's been unique” Lapchick ' but we can change behavior” ' said “I've stxii a man with a vision If the reform proposal passes wbo can look at the most difficult' Thursday it will be a major victoryproblems in college sports and what it should look like He's been tena-ciofor Brand If as sojme believe the ' in building up those who buy penalties are phased quickly than' expected it will be a testament into It” Brand hasn't been focused cbm-- 1 y to Brands skill at changing minds and winning votes! ' pletely on academic reform though Arid maybe his legacy When recruiting scandals ail Co: “ think that is the kind of orado and Mmi came to light thing Brand wasted little time in appoint- - V you determine at the other end of ! y one’s career” said David Berst an ing a task force to recommend NCAA vice president “Bui it cer-changes'' “I think we need to change the tiiinly could be” mic standing as the curreht calcula-tipn'd()es'-'Ti-y- :y' - ! ’ us - : : - - |