The Salt LakeTribune SPORTS BUSINESS Zions Bancorporation boosted earnings while gobbling up competitors in 1998./D-5 MENHL ROUNDUP, D-2 MCOLLEGE BASKETBALL, D-3,4 PREP BASKETBALL, D-4 g CTIOy, THURSDAY Ml TENNIS, D-40 * JANUARY 28, 1999 Sluggish Start Dooms Grizzlies Against Aeros One game after Utah moves above .500 forfirst time, Houston dropsit back with 4 quick goals BY BRETT PRETTYMAN ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE goals (192) and power-play success (23.7 percent). ae Aeros average 4.16 goals a game, the Grizzlies HOUSTON — Perhaps there were too many intangibles involved in the Utah Grizzlies’ 5-2 loss to the Houston Aeros Wednesday. Then again, the Grizzlies may not measure up to the best teaminthe International Hockey League just yet. TheGrizzlies (20-20-5) gave up four goals before responding against the Aeros (34-6-6) before 4,703 at the Compaq Center. Houston leads the IHL in We didn’t play a smart first period,” said Utah Coach Butch Goring. “You have to give Houston credit, we made mistakes and they madeus pay for them.” Utah beat Cincinnati 5-2 in Ohio on Tuesday and arrived in Houston about eight hours before the game. Goring said that may have contributed to the slow Utah start and Houston's four goalsin the first tain, but the goalie who won 18 gamesfor the Grizzlies last season was peppered with 18 shots in the first period. See GRIZZ, Page D-2 Ute-Bound Huber Stars — Even In Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood BY JAY DREW ‘THESALT KE TRIBU! Bear River’s Chris Huber didn’t want to shine because the television cameras were on. He didn't think about outplaying another collegebound opponent to prove he’s the best guard in the state, and hedidn’t care about impressing his future college coach, Rick Majerus. He just wanted revenge. Andhegot it. The University of Utah-bound Huber scored a game-high 21 pointsin es, teammates and BYU basketball fans think he can. Until then,he will continue to drive them crazy. The Cougars’ physically gifted, maddeningly inconsistent center again is struggling. And all BYU CoachSteve Cleveland can really do is hope Jepsen snaps out of it — preferably starting tonight, when the Cougars open their Texas-El Paso/NewMexico road swing against his battle with Granite’s SUU-bound Kenyon Rodgers(10 points), but more importantly to him, the No. 2-ranked Bears walloped Granite 68-38 in a Region 7 contest at Granite on Wednesday night. the Miners at the Don Haskins Center. “For a year I have rememberedviv- idly what happened here last year,” “We're really going to need Bret said the 6-foot-3 Huber.“They beat us onthis trip, because [UTEP’s] Sharif Fajardo and [New Mexico's] Kenny [86-77] and their crowd chanted ‘over- rated, overrated’ as we walked off the ‘Thomasare twoof the best big men in the league,” says Cleveland. “We need Bret to rebound, andwe really need the defensive presence he can floor . With Majerusin attendance, Huber was brilliant in a rare Salt Lake City appearance, while guarding Rodgers onlybriefly. Rodgerswas held out the Jepsen did a fine job on Fajardo and Thomas on the same trip last year, helping the Cougars to a road sweep that propelled them into the first seven minutes by Granite coach Ron Burnside for apparently missing a practice, and wasbattling the effects WACTournament. Those, and other of the flu. Class 3-A’s leading scorer, Rodgers made only 2 of 12 field goal late-season performances led many — including Cleveland — to believe attempts while being shadowed pri- that this would be Jepsen’s breakthrough season. marilyby Bear River’s Ryan Sorensen. Huber, however, sent Majerus home proud. He made a gorgeous tip-in in the first half and a pretty 15-foot banker off the glass in the third. He made a beautiful no-look pass, a series It hasn't happened. After some en- of excellent back-door cuts for layups, and even took a high lob pass and laid it in, all within the frameworkof coach VanPark's offense. during the off-season to bulk up and polish his game. After Jepsen reported for practice at a buff 250 pounds, Cleveland was so impressed he put his center on the cover of the team’s media guide. But the payoff has yet to arrive. “It's frustrating, and I really don't know whythings have happened the way they have,” says Jepsen. “I'm just trying to stay upbeat and work throughit “But the one thing I'm not going to do is over analyze it. That's whereI gel into trouble. Jepsensprainedhis ankle during a preseason game, then suffered a third-degree concussion when cold: cocked by Arizona’s Eugene Edger son on Nov. 28. Some think Jepsen still hasn't recovered fromthe blow, but he disagrees. I don't thinkit’s precisely that,” he says, “It's sort of been a compounding of things. Bad things hap- pen hereandthere, and they sort of add up.” In fact, Jepsen playedthree ofhis finest gamesof the season after the ORLANDO SENTINEL, The officials BY PATRICK KINAHAN ‘THE SALT LAKETRIBUNE Grandmothers are doing the Dirty OGDEN — Before the game even started, players from both sides engaged as soon as that happened,” State guard EddieGill Let’s said Weber grant by Eastern Washington and two played basketball, it was the Harold Arceneaux highlight show. Arceneaux set a Dee Events Center re- on," said WeberState Coach Ron Abegg len, whopointedout it came fromboth sides at various times. “Pretty soon cats to a 97-82 win Wednesday basketball. Talk is cheap.” State and Eastern Washington actually him?”said Park. “But he’s such a phe- nomenal player, and he’s is going to be a better college player than a high school player . His defense is near flawless.” With Sorensendoing the job, Huber said he was glad not to have to guard Rodgers and his 23.5 average. enyon’s one of my great buddies,” said Huber, after hugging his parents, uncles, aunts and grandparents, doing television interview and congratulating Rodgers’ mother, Brid- gett Waters.“I'm not bummedI didn't get to guard him. He would have made melook bad too manytimes.” Did we say the kid was humble, too? The game took a backseat to the Huber-Rodgers matchup, for good reason. Bear River (12-3 overall) jumpedto anearlyleadin anuglyfirst quarter without Rodgersin the game, led 30-13 at halftime and was never threatened. Kurt Webb added 13 to Bear River's total and Preston Bird had 12 As for Granite (9-6), the Farmers haven't quite been the same team since theybroke into the rankings two weeks ago. They committed 23 turn- overs on Wednesday, while shooting just 40 percent (14-35). Maybethat’s why coach Ron Burnside spent a long time talking to his team in the locker room after the ugly loss, Granite's thirdin its last four games. Bear River (0.123) 10-20 19 19-68 johnson Tot heeGoa Bar Ror 3K, Web Bir, Pater, Grane Johnson, you'vegot to shut your mouth andplay Arceneaux got alate a start but eventually cametoplay, Tardy for a film ses- in the Big Sky Conference, in second place behind league-leaders Northern Arizona(7-1) and PortlandState(6-1). The Wildcats play host to Portland State tonight. The Vikings drilled the Wildcats 82-59earlier this month After losing to Weber State in four overtimes at home two weeks ago, East ern Washington was alittle edgytostart. The Wildcats were not backing down, sion Wednesday, he began the game on hit a three-pointertoignite a 10-0 run “Most games are won in spurts,” id See BYU, Page D-4 into each other, apparently staking out theirturf, See ARCENEAUX, Page D-4 As pregameintroductions concluded. SCORE.LIN JHL Hockey Houston 5 , Utah 2 NHL Hockey Morida 2, Montreal 1 ‘If you can dance, it’s not hard to throw together a dance,’ Anderson said, “Youjust need someswagger in your step. It wasn't something I worked out infront of the mirror.” Anderson unveiled the dance on his two touchdowns in a 37-15 victory room. I was like, ‘Whoa, buddy Whileat the University of Utah, An. over the New England Patriots versionof the dance in the endzone. Heshowed it to his teammates, and the “Dirty Bird” was born. The end gamenobody cared about. O.J. did it in a big game, and then he added all and Falcons tight end 0.J. Santiago has taken onalife of its own. was like Michael Jackson. O.J. took us to whereeverybody recognizedus, but said, “Somebody asked mein a bath- derson had performed an unnamed zone dance developed by Anderson ThereareDirty Bird T-shirts and a Dirty Bird Web site (dirtybirdsine- the bench. Playing the final 13 minutes of the first half, he scored 18 points as Weber State led 47-41 at halftime. Afterthe Ea: gles pulled to within 51-50, Arceneaux Sunday (at Miami) Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4:48 p.m. (Ch. 13) cons running back Jamal Anderson ash talking going points in leading the Wild- Atlanta Fal SUPER BOWL over the St, Louis Rams. But no one took noticeuntil the next week, when technicals called on Weber State. 1 man peple break out anddo theDirty Bird in thestrangest places,” It ine! juded 42 fouls, including one fla- Weber State improved to 16-6 and 7-2 Chicago 4, Edmonton 3 (OT) Colorado 4, Anaheim 3 Dirty Bird in church. College basketball players are doing theDirtyBird at the free-throwline. 1Ee Dirty Bird is the word the funny thing, sayit was physical inalittle group shoving match at midcourt. Whenit ended, they followed with trash talking before being pushedtheir separate ways. In between, when Weber cord with 39 Bird in the middle of card games. Farmers are doing the Dirty Bird on their tractors. Ministers are doing the quickly squeezed be. California, But he has scored no ’ fied as a full-fledgedcraze. tweenthe twosides to createdistance. 1 knew howthegamewas goingto be centercircle. The potential to turn ugly camewhenboth groups started to bump Dallas 3, Los Angeles 2 MIAMI — TheDirty Birdis no long- er merely a dance. It now canbecla As Wildcats Rough Up the Eagles astern Washington(7-11, 4-4) e, Arceneaux reeled off 10 cons points. Hefinished making 14-of-18 shots and had four 4 D-4 “Everyone says he only averages 17 points a game, what’s so great about Now the Word Across the Nation Arceneaux Delivers the KO Blows both teams huddled separately near the concussion, averaging 10 points and nearly nine rebounds against Louisiana Tech, Cal State Northridge and @ Prep Basketball Roundup Thanks to Anderson, Dirty Bird Al Hartmann/TheSalt LakeTribune Weber State's Eddie Gill watches as his shot gets blocked by Eastern Washington's Will Levy, above. EWU defender Deon Williamsis atleft. for the game, the competing hasn't sen, who worked harder than ever This was a big game. We all hadthis onecircled on our calendars.” give us.” has been very aggressiveat times. At others he’s been very passive.” Nobodyis more baffled than Jep- saves and remains unbeaten in regulation (17-0-5). The game was essentially decided 14 minutes in when Greg Hawgood beat a screened DeRouville with a long shot during a power play. The Aeros are time or lacked confidence in DeRouville is uncer- may yet becomethe playerhis coach- been asconsistent as I'd like. Bret Houston netminder Manny Fernandez made 35 Whether the team was tired from an emotional BYJOE BAIRD ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE EL PASO, Texas — Bret Jepsen whenhe doesn’t meethis,or our, expectations,” says Cleveland. “The mostfrustrating thing is, the passion got the start. He is the eighth goalie the Grizzlies have used this season and he will continue in his backuprole to Scott Langkow. win Tuesday that put them above .500 for the first Cougars Need 2 Big Games From Jepsen couraging early season performances, the 6-foot-11 junior has slowly faded into the background — and near invisibility. Jepsen lost his starting center job to Mekeli Wesley two weeks ago; in last Saturday’s loss to Fresno State, he wasn’t even the first big man off the bench. Cleveland insists he hasn't given up on Jepsen, but it is clear he is no longer waiting around for him, either. “There are times when he performs very well, and there are times Anewfranchise record was set when DeRouville 43 minutes of the game. Goalie Philippe DeRouville got hisfirst start for Utah this season and his first in about 20 days. He was reassigned from Fredericton of the American Hockey LeagueJan. 11 com). Right guards AdamSchreiber and GeneWilliams even have filed for a trademark and incorporated Dirty Birds Inc, An unidentified Faleons fan coined the phrase “Dirty Birds" when he yelledit at Santiago in an early season gameat the Georgia Dome ‘I took it to the locker room and everybody was talking about it,’ San. tiagosaid. Anderson, who ran for an NFC-best 1,846 yards, took the term and ran withit Santiago scored twice in a 41-10 win “Tereated the dance, but 0.J. tookit national,’ Andersonsaid, "I did it ina those soundeffects, squawking “O.J, was like Jermaine Jackson. | I madeusplatinum.’ ‘The Falcons made sure the Dirty Bird wasn't just a fad by winning the NFC Championship Game. Now, with a date opposite the Denver Broncosin Super Bowl XXXIII, the Dirty Bird will becomepart of Super Bowl lore alongside the Washington team’s Fun Bunch, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ickey Shuffle, the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Leapandthe Broncos’ Mile High Salute. Anderson even promises a special Super Bowl version if he gets in the end zone Sunday A quick lookat key final results in the world of sports Men's Top 25 Northwestern 54, Purdue 50 lowa 84 Arkansas 86, LSU 64 NBA Exhibitions Duke89, North Carolina 77 Maryland107, Florida State 67 Auburn64, Mississippi State 54 Cleveland 86, Detroit 82 NewYork 88, New Jersey 87 St. John's 7, Syracuse 70 Michigan State 76, Ohio State 71 Miami 77, Seton Hall 71 Florid 72, Alabama 68 Nebraska 84, Kansas 69 Men's Big 5 Connecticut 56, Rutgers 55 Weber State 97, EWU 82 Texas Tech 89, Oklahoma 87 Penn State 93, Northwestern 60 Boston College 60, Seton Hall 65 Kansas 56, Texas 54 Women's Top 25 La, Tech 90, SWLouisiana 43