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Show SPORTS ......... B4 Scoreboard Business Weather , B5 B8 EDITOR: STEVE CAMERON Bl THE DAILY HERALD J44-255-3 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1998 DD i W)SRJ, - Dick Harmon It's all in place for Cougs to land that trophy fish PROVO The lure is tied, the rod is assembled. The reel's wound, and the boat is out on WAC Lake.- Now, go In a fish. three-gam- homestand and e conference stretch, La Veil Edwards will watch his team seize a Pacific Division title and trip to Las Vegas. five-gam- e Or they'll fail and get skunked, just like 1997. It's all there for the Cougars, thanks to Utah and Texas Christian, teams that defeated Fresno State just like BYU players predicted. Last year, Edwards' squad had plenty of opportunities to take care of business and put themselves in Las Vegas. But the Cougar boat sprung leaks at Rice, New Mexico and Utah r in disappointing performances. That slump remains one of the more puzzling mysteries in Edwards' lengthy coaching career. Traditionally, BYU has been almost perfect in November, and nearly unbeatable in league games after sub-pa- late-seaso- n mid-Octobe- A year ago, it was almost as if some Cougar players gave up in crunch time. Now, BYU's remaining WAC opponents have a combined record of Only Utah ) has its head 14-1- 8. (4-2- above .500. FOLKS, THIS 19th WAC trophy for La Veil's case is there to be caught. "We're starting to click now," quarterback Kevin Feterik insisted after the Hawaii win. "We were having fun out there, laughing in the huddle and taking care of business. We keep it going, we could run the table, but only if we , stop making mistakes. "Our schemes are so good, if we get time and the blocking is there, we can move the ball. I'll look good, the receivers and backs will, too. But it starts up front and our blocking is getting better." Still, Feterik isn't too happy with BYU's failure to find its rhythm early in games. The Cougars have yet to score on their first possession. First quarters have been mundane all season. THOUGH THE dropped passes of September seem to have been exorcised, there are still too many false starts and illegal procedure penalties. "We're having moments of brilliance," running back coach Lance Reynolds said. "Those are pleasing. But we're still not consistent." Secondary coach Barry Lamb believes the next three home games are crucial. Kinda like getting the right bait in Arbitrator rules in favor of owners NEW YORK (AP) Shaquille O'Neal won't get his overdue $15 million. Patrick Ewing won't get the first chunk of his $18.5 million. They and 224 other players won't be paid anytime soon because an arbitrator on Monday rejected the union's grievance that all players with guaranteed contracts should be paid during the lockout. The ruling by arbitrator John Feerick, dean of Fordham of Law School, e Dick Harmon is a sports writer and regular columnist for The Daily Herald. SUZANNE PLUNKETTThe Associated Pre. Hunter becomes hunted; NBA Players Union director Billy Hunter speaks to the media after an arbitrator rejected the group's grievance regarding the lockout. They had been holding out hope that &' verdict in their favor would pressur the owners to soften their stance anfl come to the table with a better offer. "The players don't seem to realiaft they can't get that money back. gone, gone forever, and they seem tcf' think that's not the case,' commisy sioner David Stern said. cially since he is a labor lawyer by profession." The uncertainty of how Feerick would rule had been a factor in the stalemate all summer and was one of the reasons the sides have met only three times for formal bargaining sessions. The players' resolve will now be tested since they won't be getting paychecks until the lockout is settled. It' See LOCKOUT, BZ? ' 'j Feterik takes ' I j charge Tad Walch By DICK HARMON gnd PAT OBLEY k (y) The Daily Herald There's nothing like some good pass protection to change a quarterback's perspective. Bowl situation;; After appearing tentative at times through the Cougars' first four games, Feterik has become a tiger. Against Hawaii Saturday, the junior lefty was 20 of 26 for 212 yards, including a performance with a trio conversions on of drive in that the second quarter. third-dow- n "I felt so invincible, like I could make anything happen," Feterik 6aid. "We were laughing and joking in the huddle, we were so confident." This was not lost on La Veil Edwards. Monday, Edwards all but up in aM 'f'"", ,'f,'!"f !. So, BYU's back in the , itoNEirzmER down is Morris receiver Takedown: Hawaii wide by BYU's Heshimu Robertson (12) brought Wesley Aloha Stadium. at during Saturday's game named Feterik the starter for the second time since that first scrimmage back in August. "Kevin's had a couple of good weeks," he said. "We feel good about the way things are going. I think we're pretty set with Kevin." That doesn't mean set in stone, however. "We're still looking at that," Edwards said. "We're going to keep judging that from week to week. We haven't given up on Drew. any-thing- 's "Well have to wait and see how the game goes, because like 1 6aid all along, I have confidence in the both of them." FUN TIMES: Do you Sec NOTES, B2 hunt for the Pacific Division title and a spot in the WAC championship game in Lasi. Vegas on Dec. 5. Say they win both, then J what? There is still no guaran- teed spot in a bowl game for the WAC champion. Here's J look at the landscape: "J ' The Independence Bow ! has not onlv reiected WAC overtures to supply the coruf J ference champion, it has 1 '. - . hr ' '' San Diego hopes to change luck SAN DIEGO (AP) n six-gam- (TV ' go-t- o one-ma- fid tion." The league has already canceled the first two weeks of the season, costing the players about $100 million in lost salaries. More cancellations will probably be announced next week, since no new bargaining sessions are scheduled and the sides are far apart on the main issue of controlling the growth of player salaries. "I kind of expected it," union director Billy Hunter said. "I was hoping Dean Feerick would be inclined to see things our way, but we knew it would be a giant leap for him to take, espe- - place. "It will be interesting to see how this team reacts and handles these three, then all five," Lamb said. "It's there. All we have to do is take care of business." Margin Hooks, who has settled in as BYU's receiver, believes recent success on offense is due to more weapons emerging. "We've got more people involved in the offense making plays. It isn't a show. And that's opening it up," Hooks said. "We said before the Hawaii game, it was the most important game of the season for us because we needed to end that (road) losing streak. "Now we've got to get on to the rest." O "Only negotiations will end our current impasse and lead to a settlement of our dispute. This is yet another defeat for the union's strategy of litigation instead of negotia- o bolstered the bargaining position of the owners and saved them from having to go to court to avoid paying more than $700 million in salaries. "We are pleased with the arbitrator's ruling," NBA chief legal officer Jeffrey Mishkin said. "Unfortunately, it does not get us any closer to a deal with the union's leadership. v zjk YV rrrJ r 'z ERIC KISbERG The Associated Press Laugh it up: San Diego's Tony Gwynn shares a laugh Smith before the Padres' batting practice Monday. with Ozzie Tony Gwynn was standing alone in right field, checking out the grass torn up a day earlier by an NFL game, and his hearty laugh echoed throughout the empty ballpark. Gwynn was the first player on the field for the San Diego Padres' practice Monday afternoon, and his disposition matched the weather bright sunshine, blue California sky, temperatures in the 70s. A change of scenery for the World Series, for sure, from the subway trains 'clacking outside Yankee Stadium to the palm trees inside Qualcomm Stadium. CUhmS9 3 filled its e bid. "The Independence has notified me they will into an agreement with thctf X Big 12 and SEC for their game this year and the next?! three yerrs," WAC commis- - ;! sioner Karl Benson said. m "That closes the Independence Bowl to not only the WAC, but any oth 5;J ers out there." Like, the Breakaway Eight?:; The assumption is that ;J the Big 12 will supply its NS; 1 6 team and the SEC will send its No. 7 school. I; "There is still the possibiC;; ity that one of those confer ; ences won't be able to delivct1 a team for that bowl," said S Benson, auucung w inuaa bowl Qualification rules. ' i vS "I don't think we can nCriS that out. There's still an apt! side chance. entert ; Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Yankees 9, Padres 6 Yankees 9, Padres 3 Yankees at Padres 6 p.m. (FOX) 8m rotated ctortos, B3. But a change in the Padres' luck against the New York Yankees? No telling. The Yankees look unbeatlead able so far, taking a into Garr 3 tonight. David Cone will start against former Yankees pitcher Sterling Hitchcock, the NLCS MVP. 2-- 0 , See SERIES, B2 . SeeWALCH;; St! |