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Show 1 DAILY THE UTAH CHRONICLE WIT? TP Spite of Y2K, Sports Remain Just the Same In 111 ERIC WALDEN 'J J In Utes Rise From Depths to Dominate Chronicle Asst. Sports Editor BRANDON WINN Chronicle Sports Editor Between the computer geeks' paranoia about Y2K bug glitches, religious fanatics' predictions of impending world doom and revelers' howling about getting one hell of a hangover, people couldn't help but get a little worked up about the LAS VEGAS When the dead rise to walk ?gain and declare war on ail humanity, they have one distinct advantage they don't care if you fight back. What's the worst that can happen? Killing a zombie is like recycling pulp. The Utes were dead after a 9 loss to Wyoming back on Nov. 6, at least that's what the entire football world thought In their contest with the Cowboys, the Utes played like their hearts had been stolen by a dog and buried in the backyard. After the game, some called for McBride's head, and most agreed the season was nothing short of a disaster. After losing two straight games to Colorado State and Wyoming, the Utes' record dropped to 3 overall and 2 in the conference. Utah's season, locked like it had been hit by a train. McBride's job was in jeopardy, the fans and media were turning on him and the teanTseemed to be falling 43-2- year 2000 And, of course, it was pretty much all for nothing. I don't know if everyone was some expecting momentous occasion to happen at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, but life continued on in as close to normal a fashion as it ever does. Sures it marked a new year, and depending on whether you're a purist or not, a new millennium, but really, not a whole lot changed. It was kind of like celebrating a life-alterin- g, 6-- 3-- um, McBride began fielding questions concerning his future. "Will you be back? Is your job on the line? McSride answered each question with dignity, refusing to kt an emotional outburst get painted across sports pages across the state. However, he's human and his armor feD off one afternoon, "Yeah it bothers me," McBride snapped to some reporters. "It's not," he suddenly cut off, burst to his feet and stormed off leaving a trail of mumbled expletives. At that point, it didn't appear that even McBride thought he deserved to keep his job. He had a message for his team though. "I don't know about the team, but I'm not going down until someone buries me," McBride said. "When you're down people will throw dirt on you and try to bury you. You have to make a choice to lay there or get off your ass and do some tiling about it" McBride told his team to stop playing for the media or and general The week after the Cowboys shot up es Stadi see FOOTBALL, page ineptitude ' Then, of course, there's Atlanta The Utah defense came alive during a CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR in rswwrHCtfjWw w I career on a fcfgh note after winning the Lss Vegas Bowl Aftdtrsofi ended his ar 6 76-ya- rd 18 COPY! TCMWtrw.wwKviaM'.wi-1'- - 17-1- Braves closer John Rocker, who has extended the longstanding tradition of proving that the bigger your mouth is, the more room you have to stick your foot in it. His attempt to fire one more verbal salvo at New York baseball fans 1 Ll 254-yard- Take alleged NBA player Isaiah Rider, who is still loony enough that he could star in a modern remake of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." He still has not yet experienced that epiphany in which he realizes that he cannot be The Man while he is suspended and sitting on the bench in street clothes. People holding their breath waiting for him to come to that particular conclusion will inevitably die of asphyxiation. " I two-ye- 1999. mm v ( LAS VEGAS The drummer boy made his final march a little louder, a little longer and packed with a whole lot more rhythm. Mike Anderson, Utah's basher in the stint backfield, concluded his at the University of Utah the same way a drummer performs during a halftime show; he pounded and pounded and pounded until there was nothing but sweet music. , show His provided the flame in the Utes' stinging cf Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 10. For Anderson, a man who didn't play football in high school because he was busy drumming for the school band, the exclamation point on his college career will be something he'll cherish even after he taps his last beat "This is unbelievable to finish my career with a big win in a bowl game," an emotional Anderson said moments after learning he was voted the game's MVP. "I'll never forget this team. I'll never forget the coaches. I'll never forget this school." The best part is that Anderson dom inated his final game despite a broken hand. Questions about Anderson's effectiveness were answered on the first play of the game when, standing in his own end zone because of a brilliant Fresno State punt, he broke off a sprint right up the middle cf the field. "We wanted to establish the run," Utah coach Ron McBride said. "Mike broke that long one on the first play and was able to run on them the whole have a new job offer before you can say "Cincinnati Bengals." On top of that, consider that certain individual athletes are no less braindead than they were during 1. I! BRANDON WSNN Chronicle Sports Editor ranging from mere underachieves to unevoived Near.dertals with all the genkis of a cardboard box, you know that each of these men will i 17 Ilk Anderson Ends His Career on A Strong Beat ng aside, these coaches will have a better shot t being recycled than an aluminum can. Mike Ditka, Bill Parcells, Ray Rhodes, Fete Carroll and Bill Belichick have all either quit or been fired in the last two weeks. Steve Mariucci and Bill Ccwher could be next. And despite their see WALDEW, page . -Rice-Eccl- changed. For instance, the NFL's annua' postseason coaching carousel is once again running faster than a marathoner from Kenya. Bad records ' apart birthday and having everyone ask you what it feels like to be a year older;, there hasn't been any metamorphosis it's just another day. All you need for proof is to take a glance at the world of sports and observe all the things that haven't earth-shatteri- - ' mmmmi im i jr. three-gam- e see ANDERSON, page winning streak to and the season. BRANDON WiNN WiNNCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU 581-704- 1 17 |
