| OCR Text |
Show The Salt Lake Tribune SPORTS ce LeBron has Cavsall over TV schedule Tunine IN Television © Major roque Baseball Giants at Cubs. 25 pm. ESP Astros at Aanta, S p.m, °°. Wednesciy, July30,2003 MWC Notes Cougars 4th, Utes 5th in mediapoll By Micnast C. Lewis ‘The Salt Lake Tribune Television networks ignored LAS VEGAS — Neither the Brigham Young Cougars nor the Utah Utes were the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. ABC, ESPN and TNT are picked to win the Mountain West Conference in a preseason media poll released ae paying attention now that LeBron James has arrived. ‘The Cavaliers will make 13 national television appearances next season, according to the National Basketball Association broadcast schedule released Tuesday. Last year, when the Cavaliers won a league-low 17 games, they never played on na- tional TV. Sports Inbrief Walt Disney financially strapped Toroni. Argonauts. The move to taxe over the franchise from owner Sherwood Schwarz was endorsed by a vote of the league’s board of governors. NHL scene 2 pap ang rey oo. Defending champion Colorado State was picked to win for the third straight year, scheduled to show broadcast the Cavaliers’ game at Phoenix the following night and ESPN will televise Cleveland's home opener against Denver on Nov. 5. BASKETBALL Charlotte arena: With exploding dirt and a rain of confetti, Charlotte, N.C., leaders and NBA owner Bob Johnson ceremoniously opened construction on the city’s new $260 million downtown arena. The facility will be home to Johnson’s ex- with 18 first-place votes and 164 points. authorities said. Ettinger was found dead at his family’s home in Upper Kennetcook, Nova Scotia, on Saturday by police responding to a 911 call. Retiring No. & Cam Neely, who led the Boston Bruins in goal scoring seven times before injuries forced him to retire in 1996 at age 31, will have his No. 8 retired by the NHL team in Jan- uary. Legg Masom: Andre Agassi had little trouble beating Ivo been playing with neuroma, a nervecondition that has caused great pain in her left foot, since SUU will open season vs. Aggies team, which won the Utah state UTAH petitive schedule,” coach Joe Sports in brief Hillock said. “Wewill have good balance between home and road games and it’s a schedule that will help us prepare for Mid-Continent Conference play.” The Thunderbirds open the regular season at Utah State, whichis reinstating its women's basketball program after not cee last week, is 20 Taylorsville’s 13-year-old Babe Ruth team, also the state champion, went1-2 at its regional in Arizona last week and was eliminated. Taylorsville’s 14-year-old play in the Southwest Ken Price Field against Nevada. Murray, the host team, plays Southern California at 8 p.m. Fridayin the eight-team tourney. Otympus Zed: Olympus High's 17-and-under baseball team placed second in the consolation division at the National AAU Baseball tournamentin Orlando, Fla., last week. The Titans went1-3 in pool play against mostly all-star teams before entering the consolation bracket, 1986-87 season. SUU’sfirst home Matheson, Anthony Pressley mentoState. The T-birds also and John Tillou; juniors Hank play in-state foes Westminster on Dec, 22 and Brigham Young onDec. 30, SUU opens Mid: Continent play with Oral Roberts on Jan. 5. MWC Meyerlikes Utes’ chances Continued from C1 Sure, the posh resort and spa on the outskirts of Las Vegas was a far cry from the downtown Detroit hotel where Meyer used to attend meetings with Bowling Green in the Mid- American Conference. But he was able to hang out with men- tor and former boss Sonny Lubick of Colorado State — who said he has been a bit surprised neTaylorsville infielder/ ation’s SuperTour for the 2003designed to boost competition chances for young U.S. jumpers Jooking to reach the World Cup and Besides an event fat the Utah Olympic Park on Nov.29-90, the UOP will play host to the SuperTour Finals on March 14, SOFTBALL Utah Stars: The Utah Stars Flores nt 801-688-4143 for mare information. BASEBALL Teville 2-0: Taylorsvilie’s 15year-old Babe Ruth baseball Tanking PonLab. News Services \ Brady Poppinga, Jr., BYU. Dl — 0.J. Renteria, Sr., New Mexico. DL — David Kegler, Sr., New Mexico. LB — Kirk Morrison, Jr., San Diego State. LB — Eric Pauly, Sr., Colorado State. LB — Adam Seward, Jr., UNLV. DB — Jamaal Bimmer, Jr., UNLV. DB — Dexter Wynn, Sr., Colorado State. DB — Brandon Ratcliff, Sr., New Mexico. DB — Dave Revill, Sr., Utah. Special Teams: P — Matt Payne, Jr., BYU. PK — Joey Ashcrolt, Sr., Air Force. KR — Dexter Wynn, Sr., Colorado State. who's coming back,” he said. ‘The Cougars did place defensive end Brady Poppinga on the preseason allconference team, along with punter Matt Payne. Utah defensive end Jason Kaufusi also was named to the squad, along with safety Dave Revill and running back Brandon Warfield. season, including Chance Harridge from Air Force, Casey Bramiet from Wyoming and Adam Hall from San Diego State. Perhaps none, though, measure up to make sure he didn’t heap too much praise on him before the season even starts. “Bradlee Van Pelt might be as good a3 .. how doT? . .. He’s a good football player,” Lubick finally decided. “He is some- to see Meyer mature into a coach who prefers offensive “His background has been Ohio State with Earle Bruce, you know, three yards and a cloud of dust,” Lubick said. “And when he was with us, we were still pretty much a running football team. But, you do what you have to do.” Meyer started his coaching career as a graduate assistantat OSU, and later rejoined Bruce at CSUand stayed on after Lubick became coach in 1993. He later worked at Notre Dame and Bowling Green, where he put together one of the most explo sive offenses in the country. And the Utes? “1 think that will be a good football team,” Lubick said. Still no Williams Don’t expect Walt Williams to wear a Cougar uniform this season. Crowton said the heralded cornerback has a $700 holdon his transcript at a Florida junior college, and can’t officially grad- uate until he pays it off. That figures to leave seniors Brandon Heaney and Jernaro Gilford as the starting cornerbacks at BYU. Gone, but not forgotten The New Mexico Lobos lost defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall to BYU in the offseason, but there are at least two things they haveresisted changing since his departure: ‘Their strategy and their admiration. Coach Rocky Long said the Lobos still will run the same blitz-happy 3-3-5 align- mentthathas turned theminto one ofthe ‘because, coach at Oregon State in'the early 1990s, before coaching atIllinois the past six seasons. At the same time, Long and the Lobos expect Mendenhall to fare well with the Cougars, even though he might have to use some players who were not recruited specifically with their new offense in mind. “Bronco is an excellent coach who ungreatly accelerated. I think they'll be great on defense, but I know whatkind of players they have, and players like this scheme of defense. And if they like something, it’s amazing how much faster they learn it.” Lubick and Meyer remain good friends Meyer joked that his wife likes Lubick more than she likes him — and Lu bick said one thing Meyer never changed was his intensity. “He was a coach that you loved to have on your staff because he was — just like he is now — very energetic and very foeee in 2001. motivated,” Lubick said. “He had a lot of initiative. He was always one step ahead. You never had to ask him to get something done. He was driven and very confident and I think we can see that and I think his teams will reflect that.” Air Force’s Fisher DeBerry figures the Utes wil! enjoy a first-year surge under Meyer, much the same way the Brigham Young Cougars did when over to his table. As soon as Gary Cavalli introduced himself, Meyerheld out a hand and Proudly declared: “We accept!” noticeable shift, indeed. com Tass WASHINGTON CUTS WILKINSON Tues dey, reas deselace Dan Wikinson ov a con dspue oe ‘milion, but Wilkinson wanted incentives that sam vice president Vinny "very easy" to make backthe $1.5 milion. Cerrato y place him. playing time over the past five years. The deal to cut \evetan $35 tn ry Owner Dan Snyder's ne(gottations with agent Brig Owens continued even as player Jermaine Ha ley becomes the first-siringleft tackle. bu 2004 season. The l#event tour is ‘Sr, Utah. Defense DL — Jason Kaufusi, Sr., Utah. DL — good that his coach — typically something of a sandbagger — had to bite his tongue to © Nike Tournamentin Phoenix. SuperTeer: Park City will Moore, Soph., New Mexico. RB — Brandon Warfield, Bradlee Van Pelt. The senior from Colorado State is so ‘The team and Wilkinson agreed to cua his sary to $2 19th round by the Seattle Mariners, but has yet to sign and will oroe for Brigham Young ‘Air Force. TE — Joel Dreessen, Jr., Colorado State. OB — Bradlee Van Pett, Sr., Colorado State. RB— DonTrelt “It’s an indication of people's respect for you,” he said. “But your chance to prove on Monday defeated the Triple Threat of Oregon 46-38 in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Associ tive season in school history. all-conference team, and Jackson called it a “slapin the face” that the Cougars were Picked to finish only fourth. ‘Sky wies agai: The Utah Sky ‘play host to two events in the Preseason All-Conference Team Offense WR — Ryan McGufley, Sr., Wyoming. WR — Eanfn Johnson, Jr, UNLV. OL — Claude TerreJ, ‘The conference has six starting quarter- \Wikinson stood on the fed watching the second day ol BASKETBALL ‘SKI JUMPING & Wyoming 2 First-place votes in parentheses backs returning to their teams from last i on Friday(5 p.m.) at Murray's game |s Nov. 24 against Sacra- Ashley of Mountain View had 14 points for the Sky. a 7 @ Quarterback factory Jackson said he understood why the Cougs were picked fourth, after a disastrous 5-7 season last year. Voters “just have to go off last season’s performance and “But that kid is ... we've never hada 110 5. Utah 6 UNLV 7. San Diego State have never been picked near the top.” them wrongis really during the season.” thing Fd like to push it even more,the only thing P'm worried about is getting too big a bead on him. 3 4 Brigham Young (1) Norespect? state championship team begins where they went3-1. Team members: seniors Mike Dunn, Eric Fairbourn, Spencer competing in the sport since the “Tm comfortable with it, because I don’t put ‘anystock in it,” coach Rocky Long Coach Gary Crowton and center Scott Jackson were dismayed that no BYU offensive players were named to the preseason last fall. — Combined News Services “I think it will be a very tough and com- New Mexico is the team unaccustomed to being picked to finish so high, but with 17 starters back from 7-7 team thatlost to UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl, the Lobos have become something of a media darling. it will be interesting for me to see. Our kids League takes over team: The CFLtook over operations of the cluding 14 home games. about the media poll — “I say, “What the hell do they know about it?’ ” he said — forgetting that his Rams won the league last season after being chosen to do so in the preseason poll. than the coaches do — and how they handle said courts in the United States, play 27 games this season, in- Labick sounded his usual good-natured ers will put some stock into it — a lot more it had won its lengthy legal battle against former NBA player Stanley Roberts, who was banned for using drugs. FIBA Southern Utah University’s women's basketball team will Sonny Lubick said. put anystock in that, either. . . . The play- FIBA defeats Roberts: World basketball’s governing body said FOOTBALL New Mexico was second and Air Force was third, just barely ahead of the Cougs. “I pick BYU every year,” CSU coach said. “When y’all picked us eighth, I didn’t pansion team, the Charlotte Bobcats, and is scheduled to open in October 2005. Germanyand Switzerland all confirmed that it was appropriate to suspend Roberts, preventing him from playing worldwide for two years after he was barred from the NBA. 2 Ae Fore (1) but received one of the 21first-place Co's ESPN is Time WarnerInc.’s TNT will fifth in the eightteam Mountain West, Player's death a suicide: Cleveland's Oct. 29 seasonopener at Sacramento. AOL Media Day. But it could have been worse. “My first year at Bowling Green, we were picked 114th in the country — out of 117 teams,” Utah coach Urban Meyer said. In his first year at Utah, though, Meyer and his Utes have been picked to finish 2003 MWC Preseason Poll 1. Colorado State (18) 164 points 2. New Mexico (1) 40 |READYTORACE» AROUND THE LEAGUE Rams: St year deal. ons: Wide receiver Charles Rogers, the second the NFL deaf, Colts: Running back Dominic Rhodes hurt his left shoulder and missed the rest of a momingpractice ses‘sion, but he wasnt expected to be sidelined long. Rawens: First-round draftpick Terrell Suggs endada two-day holdout, signing a five-yearcontractthet includes 4.573 milion signs — TheAssociatedPress |
