Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Saturday August aacwsin d§ i?®5qD ©MDsobM© Undrafted rookies find making NFL rosters not easy TERRE HAUTE Ind ( AP) — Jeff Saturday has not forgotten his first training camp Unknown and seemingly unwanted he avoided reading notes and feared meetings with coaches knowing that any day could be his last with the Indianapolis Colts Four years later Saturday is the Colts’ starting center and living proof that undrafted free agents can survive and thrive in the NFL “You know you have to keep your head on a swivel’’ Saturday said of the uncertainty that surrounded him in 1999 “You're always afraid they'll give a draft pick the nod over you" Saturday understands because he lived through it His first shot came with the Baltimore Ravens in 1998 By June he was out of work and out of J football Such can be the lifespan of an undrafted rookie For every undrafted player that makes a roster dozens more are cut Some last only a few practices others a few weeks The fortunate ones might get a second chance and if they're really lucky find their way to a team that needs cheap help A few make it but even earning a roster spot offers little relieif to pressure or the never-endin- g questions that come with living on the edge Hans Olsen the nephew of Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen arrived in Terre Haute Ind last year with an unwavering desire to play in the NFL and no promise he'd ever get that opportunity He worked hard but constantly worried about making mistakes At night he was lonely wondering how long he would stick around Olsen made the Colts’ practice squad and actually played in the team's final two games But training camp is nothing short of misery for the 298-pouformer defensive tackle who moved to the offensive line this year “There’s pressure on every rookie but when you’re an undrafted rookie you can’t even explain it” Olsen said “It’s draining emotionally physically and spiritually Every part of your ' being is tested” Most free agents would jump at the opportunity — any opportunity — to play in the NFL Once in camp though it can be grueling Olsen found himself isolated from his family and his support base He received lots of criticism little praise and continually wondered when his dream would end The Colts are one of the NFL’s more successful teams in finding gems In 1999 they plucked Saturday off the streets A year later he moved into the starting lineup and has stayed there The Colts also took a chance on Virginia wide receiver Terrence Wilkins in 1999 He became a part-tim- e starter before being traded to the St Louis Rams this' nd AP photo Terre in Haute Ind practice Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday (63) works against Ellis Johnson during a Saturday has not forgotten his first NFL training camp He was unknown and seemingly unwanted year Last season it was Dominic Rhodes who became the first undrafted rookie to gain 1000 yards when h£ ran for 1104 after replacing two-tim- e rushing champ Edgerrin James six weeks into the season Even Colts coach Tony Dungy is part of the fraternity having made it onto the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 1977 after being converted from quarterback to wide receiver to defensive back But in the 25 years since Dungy won an NFL little has changed Free agents still battle the job ' odds and the stigma they weren’t goodenough to be drafted They’re willing to work to travel to do whatever it takes to make a roster That’s why New York Giants rookie Darnell Dinkins gladly accepted the switch from quarterback to tight end which gives him a better chance of finding a spot “We worked him in practice last week” Giants tight ends coach Mike Pope said “He hustles on special teams he weighs 243 pounds he can run and he has good hands He’s a natural” Finding talented free agents is another trick because there are so many places to look Rhodes came out of Midwestern State in Texas a Division II school St Louis Rams terback Kurt Warner the league MVP two of the last three years came out of the Arena Fbotball ' League and NFL Europe Philadelphia running After also signing Keon Clark oh Wednesday Sacra-- ’ mento hopes it has the pieces in place to take a stronger run e at the champion : Los Angeles Lakers who beat' the Kings in seven games in the conference finals “With the addition of Keon Clark and die signing of Mike I think this is one of the better teams that has been assembled” Gavin Maloof said “We’re putting it up against anybody”' Bibby and his agent David Falk originally sought a deal worth more than $100 million but the NBA’s decreasing salary cap and Bibby’ strong desire to stay in Sacramento led him to take less money Bibby arrived in Sacramen-to last summer in a trade with the Grizzlies for Jason i Williams Bibby lobbied for ' ' the fieal 'convinced be could plays” contribute to Sacramento’s Though Bibby a restricted j offense free agent was never seriousli After averaging 137 points ly thought to be leaving and 50 Assists during the reg-- 1 tis signing keeps the ular season Bibby elevated entire nucleus intact from the t his game to remarkable levels iteam that finished with the in the playoffs averaging 203 NBA’s best regular-seaso-n ' for record at 1 points per game against die Except Vlade Divac every starter is ' Laker Bibby scored 29 points in signed beyond die 2003-0- 4 i high-ener- gy Sacra-mento- f : ! ! 61-2- - r burgh But in the salary cap era undrafted free agents are not only a priceless commodity but a necessity“There’s no question you have to have balance with the cap” said Colts president Bill Polian who also has worked in Buffalo Carolina and Kansas City “The stars make an incredible amount of money So the issue is a matter of simple arithmetic” Survival often depends on more than who is the best player Saturday said he never had a shot in Baltimore with Wally Williams and a draft pick in front of him The Colts gave him another chance Ttoo yeans later Saturday beat out Larry Moore for the starting job and since then Saturday has become a valuable cog in the Colts’ offense! But even now Saturday does not relax He still ' talks about that first training camp as if it were yesterday He carries the lessons with him “I don’t know if there's ever really a sense of comfort” Saturday said “Terrence Und I used to talk about how amazing it was that we could go from where we were to where we are now: That's a tremendous accomplishment to play on Sunday especially when you come from where we high-power- ed did” V'®' ' I ' TO V if lu i i - V - l s - ti scii O 'JXKJP mil1 ap die photo Sacramento guard'Mke Btoby reacts to a shot In Game 3 of the WMem Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers last May $80 ntffiof) contract with the Kings Bibby has agreed to a seven-yea- r : Game 7 cipping a string of ' 10 games in the 1 1 s' final Kings’ playoff In Game 5 he hit die jurnper with r 82 seconds left ' Geoff Pefrie the Kings’ president of basketball opera-i- 1 turns mused the news conference to beat a wedding but Bibby’s signing for a relatively modest price is another coup for the executive who has 20-poi- nt con-test- game-winni- ng The Chicago Bulls forMonday tofprmally introduce him CHICAGO (AP)-nt Marshall average4l4!i points and 73 forward Donyell Mar- ' rebounds per game with die Utah Jazz the contract shall on Friday to three-yeworth about $15 million past two seasons: The The team scheduled a news tonference forward played 6 Hi sea- free-age- t back Rod Smart (also known as “He Hate Me") played in the XFL find Dinkins spent last season playing quarterback on a semipro team in Pitts- - --V three-tim- ’ ar -- 317-poun- Skier can’t play while season Mike Bibby played like a star during the Sacramento Kings’ run to the Western ' Conference finals last season Now he’ll be paid like a star as well Bibby signed a seven-ye- ar $80 million contract with the Kings on Friday Kings own-- ‘ ers Joe and Gavin Maloof : announced the signing during a celebratory news conference with Bibby at The Palms casino in Las Vegas which is ' oWned by die Maloof family “This wps the best situation for me” Bibby said “This team plays die style of game that I like and that I havd fun with I’ve never been on a team that played like this 'before We have so much fun I don’t play die game just for the money I love die game and I love how our team loses tackle to BYU ol seven years Associated Press — B3 PROVO Utah (AP) — BYU lacUc Ben Archibald will miss the season after breaking two hones in his left leg during Friday's practice d 4 Archibald a senior from Gearhart Ore sustained compound fractures to his tibia und tibia and left the field in an ambulance Trainer George Curtis said surgery was necessary “Ben is in good spirits and is in excellent care” BYU eoaeh Clary Crowton said Archibald has started every game at right tackle over (Ik last two seasons This month he was named to preseason watch lists for the Lmihardi Award and Outland Trophy Bibby returns to Kings for By The 200 2 broken leg one-on-o- ne ’ 17 turned the Kings around from perenifial losers to title con' tenders in just four seasons '“He’ll be one of the best point guards inthe NBA for years to come and it solidifies that position for us” Petrie said in a! statement “We’re really h appreciative of the way Mike reached out to try and help make our team better It will be i exciting to watch our team continue to come together” sons for Golden State before he was ed to Utah He was drafted fourth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1994 and that traded to the Warriors midway ' ' through his rookie season tiad-sign-ed suing NCAA BOULDER Colo (AP) — A judge has refused to allow Olympic freestyle skier Jeremy Blixiin to play football at Colorado while he sues the NCAA hr keep his skiing endorsements Boulder County District Judge Daniel Hale denied Bloom's request for a court injunction on Thursday ' Bloom 20 did not attend the Buffaloes' practice later in the day He said he didn't know what his next move would be and that he would consult with his attorney and consider his legal options “I know today was a big day for my future” he said “Now I'll move forward and I'll figure out a way to try to keep some of my dreams alive" When asked what he would do if ultimately faced with-- choice between skiing and football B loom said “I wouldn’t say I lean toward anything” Hale said he did not think Bloom's challenge would succeed on legal merits and he was concerned that the ' NCAA could sanction Colorado if an injunction later was overturned He said issuing an injunction might also undermine confidence in the NCAA However Hale also said he was disappointed that the NCAA would not allow Bloom to pursue both sports by issuing him a waiver Hawk draws crowds at X Games PHILADELPHIA (AP) — " At age 34 Tony Hawk has been riding a skateboard ' longer than some athletes at the X Games have been alive Viewed by many as the greatest skater ever Hawk’s celebrity has helped the sport gain acceptance Today Hawk is recognized not only by diehard skateboarders but by those with only a passing interest in the sport “It used to only be skaters” Hawk said Friday “And hardcore skaters at that But now it's kids and parents and people that you wouldn’t expect to know anything about it who see me on TV” ’ Hawk started skating when he was in elementary school and entered his first amateur compe- tition a few years later By the timelie turned pro at 14 he was earning $150 for winning events The sport was in decline Skate--r boarding begarl to take off in the e and sponsors drove up the prize money’ “In my lata1 years of high school I started making a deebit living” Hawk said i“I actually bought my first house when I was a senior And so when all my classmates were figuring out where they were going to college I realized I already had a career It just sort of felupop me” V That career has grown more lucrative with each year While he competed in events with $300 purses as a young pro the X Games awards more than $260000 to skateboarders spread out over six different disciplines “Part of nre i surprised excited that it’s gptten this big mid-198- 0s big-nam- ' and we have all this opportunity to make a living in something we've been devoting ouf lives to” he said “Tlic other part of me thinks 'I've always known that skating was legitimate and was athletic and artistic and had all the makings of a popular sport'” Hawk will compete in two events inside the skating half pipe at the X Games: vert doii- btes (a two-ma- n competition along with partner Andy MacDonald) and vert best trick It was in the latter event that Hawk became the first pCrson to land a 900 — launching himself off the half pipe and completing 2 12 full rotations in the air The skating Icon will find himself in front of the camera a good deal during the X Games serving as q color commentator for ESPN’s broadcast of other half-pip- e events Hawk married in 1996 pnd has’ three sons: Riley 10 Spencer! 3 and Keegan 1 1 months In the early days of his career he could jet off fora tour on a whim but now he Works his schedule to spend triore time with his family in their San Diego-area-1 homd “Fantily life just Changes your perspective” he said “Honestly I don’t have the desire to chase after every single event or opportunity anymore because I’m way past bang a tourist” Hawk has been involved with charity working with the Make-a-Wi- sh Foundation since the late 1980s He also started " the Tony1 Hawk' Foundation to ’ help build public skate parks in underprivileged areas Hawk donates his appearance fires to help fund his foundation : - i six-we- ek - : 11 'I f II-- ' |