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Show Scoreboard , , Business Weather STEVE CAMERON EDITOR: SPORTS B7 B8 B12 Tad Walch Presidents could ust use legalese as their solution asked, and you responded. Time to share some of the ideas for the name of the new conference which Were sent to The Daily Herald. Perhaps BYU president Merrill J. Bateman will peruse them and sug e gest a change to the leadership of the Breakaway Eight. n Athletic Association. , You were last-minut- WAA-Wester- The caller felt association was a more fraternal word than conference, and jifter the fractious nature of the breakup, that's a good concern. But fritics would make the acronym sound like whining. Conference Athletic Association. This has a nice ring to it, though it's a mite too much like NCAA. Plus, using conference and association together is a little too MCAA-Mountai- ; Malone spiel a highlight at union 's testimonial before me," Jordan said. This work stoppage is not our fault. We're willing to work, but David Stern shouldn't be able to force us to play under a deal that's unfavorable to us." Jordan was joined at the meeting by almost all of the league's players, including Shaquille O'Neal, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Jordan said he was in the worst shape of his life, "but when the time comes I'll be ready if that's the case." After meeting for almost five hours, union director Billy Hunter announced that the players had voted unanimously to never accept a LAS VEGAS (AP) Michael Jordan came down from his luxury r suite in this city's newest hotel, mingled with the union's masses and gave no hint as to whether he'll be playing basketball when the lockout ends. On this day, Jordan's message was the same as that heard from 240 players, that the union is unified and will never accept a hard salary cap. "My mind is still open. I haven't made my decision, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be a part of the union," Jordan said Thursday after the largest gathering in the history of the National Basketball Players Union. "I owe an obligation to the young players and the players who came billion-dolla- high-profil- See LOCKOUT, B3 Gooooaaaaaalll! Athletic SAN DIEGO (AP) Mid-Americ- FAC-Fronti- :t -- fir ' X"1' f r-- PIL-Pacif- n Conference. RAC-Rock- y (Mountain) Athletic Conference. f PSL-Pacifi- r PIC-Pacif- Sports League, Intermountain c ponference. f Alas, the presidents have in essence decided on either Mountain Coast or Mountain Coastal Conference. MCC is a very acceptable acronym, t's better than the Mountain West Conference the proposal forwarded the way a py the transition team Seep Cherokee is better than a Yugo. Even if it still isn t a Mercedes. If that's what the prezzes want, jsn't it obvious that Mountain Coast s better than Mountain Coastal? Why add the extra syllable? Keep t simpler, sports fans. V H ..; ' LAW-Leagu- , Ruth. Not a certain Hall of Famer in the bunch, not like DiMaggio, Mantle or Bench. No pitcher likely to win the Cy Young Award, no slugger who fin ished in the top 35 in home runs Not even a single player elected to start in the All Better than Murderers' Row, the Big Red Machine or the swingin' Oakland A's? "I think that will probably be talked about forever," Series MVP Scott Brosius said. "The compar isons will go on and on, and maybe nobody will have a definite answer for the best team of all time. "But you can look at this year and say we had the best single season of any other team, and that's a great accomplishment." Fitting, too, that Brosius won the MVP award after going with six RBIs in four games. Steady but not flashy, the third baseman spent See YANKS, B6 Tonight's footbsll By DOROTHY KNOELL The Daily Herald Win or end the season. That's the situation for several local teams as they face their final regular-seasofootball games tonight. Other teams are trying to maneun ver themselves into better seedings for the state meets, while others are simply looking to end their seasons on a high note. In Region 3, a cross-tow- n rivalry game has definite tournament overwhich tones. Mountain View opened the league season with two losses and then won three straight, could end up tied for second in the region with a victory over Timpanogos tonight. The game begins at 7 p.m. (3-2- ), TIM SCHOONStandant MCL-Mountai- n WAL-Wester- onship with a sweep of the San Diego Prep playoff seeds at stake OK. HERE are some additional ideas, which sprung ko life during the Wee morning hours of a sleepless night. (Hey, this matters. I don't want to ype MWC over and over in stories and headlines.) MPAC Everyone seems to love his acronym. The only problem is hat "Mountain Pacific" is taken. So, come up with something else 'or the P. Like Players, or Plains. Coast League. Yep, just like the knee injury (medial J" collateral ligament), ' f Athletic League. The WAC might object to the first two jvords, but Athletic could be changed to Athlete's. And my favorite (drumroll, please): ' of the American West. It's just what the presidents liked best, American West, but didn't want to use because it sounds like an airline. The same thought is expressed, but the emphasis shifts to league, and the airline is forgotten. "' Also, the structure of the name is a different concept, exactly what you want at the turn of the century. Besides, Chris Berman would love it. . Whaddaya say, presidents? ' MCC is quite acceptable. ; " But be honest, every once in a while, dontcha just wanna lay down a little LAW? There is no In the end, there was a much better way to explain the greatness of these New York Yankees. "The one thing I would love to have people think about is there's no one name that comes to mind, but the team itself," manager Joe Torre said. And now, the debate begins: Are these Yankees, after winning their record 24th World Series champi- - WAIT, NOW, they get better. Intermountain League, Intermountain j ht Associated Press true superstar among them, no one Padres and finishing with an overall , close in stature to a Reggie, Rose or record of the best team ever? Star game. COW-Conferenc- WIC-Wester- T 125-50- AFC-America- t MICHAEL CAl l.HFXD United Center front: Chicago's Michael Jordan, right, and Scottie Pippen listen to questions during a news conference Thursday at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Great Yank debate now off and running much fraternity. MAC-8-Mounta- 'j e n Conference. Another goodie, but too Conference much like (MAC). Plus, the presidents rejected using a number from the outset. Athletic Conference. Frontier is a wonderful addition to the dialogue, but this acronym has, well, too strong a sound. n Frontier Conference is the obvious next choice, but the NFL would probably object. e of the West. Moooo. 23, lW8 FRIDAY, OCTOBER QJodd'ljxM g : Bl THE DAILY HERALD 3 Examiner Mountain View's Jessica Hardy, right, gets a hug from teammate Kristi Wakefield after heading in a goal in Thursday's state 5A soccer semis. See story, B2. Mountain View at Timpanogos Brighton at Orem Pleasant Grove at Springville Lone Peak at Spanish Fork Provo at American Fork Payson at Timpview Delta at North Sanpete Park City at Carbon Lehi at Wasatch Gunnison at North Summit Manti at Juab All games at 7 p.m. Jordan and Hillcrest are both and playing for the league title. But if Mountain View wins, it will end up tied with the loser of that game for second, and earn the second seed 4-- 1 See PREPS, B6 n e u Tad Walch is a Daily Herald sports writer. Cougs earn return from special teams investment By DICK HARMON The Daily Herald The returns PROVO are big. Long known for its passing prowess, BYU is quietly becoming a football program known for producing punt and kickoff specialists. The latest, redshirt freshman Mike Rigell, ranks No. 4 nationally in kickoff returns and is the WAC's most dangerous man to boot a football to. This comes on the heels of NCAA-leadin- g t 1997, when Jaron Dabney earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors after ranking among the nation's best kick and punt return specialists. In 1996, the Cougars ranked 10th nationally in kickoff returns and James Dye finished third in returning punts with a average. "Returning kickoffs and punts are two entirely different abilities," La Veil Edwards explained. "A punt returner has to , have certain abilities. He's got to have the guts of a bandit. He needs speed, but more important, the good ones tend to have that spurt that gets them to an opening and acceleration. "It's hard to get yards returning punts because kickers can kick away from you, there's hang time, and a lot of it is individual moves. Kickoff guys rely a lot on blocking schemes that open up lanes. Returning punts is tougher." Edwards should know. Along with Dye, former Vai Cougar and NFL Sikahema led the list of BYU game busters on All-Pr- o big-tim- e returns. Others include Golden Richards, Chris Farasopoulos, Tyler Anderson, Eric Mortensen, and John Betham. "We do work hard at it," kicking coach Chris Pella said. "We spend a lot of time on it, including a lot of one practice session a week." Some of the best return men have been receivers, according to Edwards. "Those that have the ability to run after a catch have an advantage. This is what makes Rigell so good. He has the ability to avoid tackles initially, and get to his top speed very quickly. Dye and Sikahema did, too," Edwards said. "And it's big. Getting a big return is huge for a team. And when you score off of one, it certainly can change the difference in a game." Although nobody would guess it, the Cougars have regularly attracted and polished return men. Senior Aaron Roderick ranked first in the nation in See NOTES, B6 r |