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Show WW9 All MONDAY'SEPTEMBER 26*2005 Breaking down the insanity Blake Leszcynski goes inside today's version of the NFL Blake Leszczynski Sports Writer We finally made it! The National Football League's regular season has arrived! No other professional league combines the grittiness, intensity and pageantry of an ancient Roman coliseum with all of the drama and storylines that you'd expect from an episode of Laguna Beach. In the time between Adam Vinatieri's Super Bowl winning field goal and Vinatieri's opening day kickoff against the Oakland Raiders, it has been a long (sad) seven months for professional football fans, including myself. Because if you're like me, and I know you are, you got excited about the draft. Remember Alex Smith or Aaron Rodgers? Well Smith was taken first overall by the Nines (I'm so sorry Alex) and Rodgers was taken 24th by the Pack. But now they're both backups, the only difference is Rodgers backs up the gridiron legend who is Brett Favre, and Smith backs up some dude named Tim Rattay. On the other hand, Alex Smith signed a first overall pick's contract ($49.5 million over six years) and Rodgers, well, didn't. After the draft, it was training camps, free agent signings and trades. Yippfrickenee! Honestly, who really cares. right? Well, there actually were some important things that happened this off-season. The five most significant stories were, from five to one; 5) Quarterback Drew Bledsoe is reunited with his former head coach Bill Parcells in Dallas. Following an anemic (at best) performance from last year's starter Vinny "I'm Older Than Your Grandpa" Testaverde (okay he's only 41, but in NFL years that's like 200), the Cowboys are happy to welcome the 33-year-old gun-slinger. Don't get me wrong, Bledsoe isn't going to draw any comparisons to Cowboy greats Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman, nor will he throw 126,000 TD passes like Peyton Manning will, but he's a solid QB, something the Boys have not had in quite some time. 4) Patriot's Linebacker and defensive leader, both statistically and in the intangible sense, Tedy Bruschi is likely to miss the whole season after suffering a stroke weeks after Super Bowl XXXIX. This is a huge loss for the defending champions. Bruschi is not only a key playmaker in the Patriot's staggering defense, but an on-field general as well. He keeps that defensive unit stable with his hustle and his heart. He'll likely play again in 2006. 3) Thomas Herrion, a 23-year-old offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers, died of heart disease shortly after a preseason game. Every year it seems the NFL is losing a player. I'm no doctor, but if a person weighs 335 lbs, as Hcrrion did, whether they're a highly trained athlete or not, one would think that person would run a high risk of having heart problems. Either way, it's a tragedy when someone so young passes. The Niners will be wearing Herrion's number on helmets all season 2) The freaks that populate Network Asso c iates Coliseum i n Oakland every Sunday will be joined by Randy Moss, a freakishly good wide out. The Minne- kings, in what will prove to be one of the most idiotic moves in league history, gave up, perhaps, one of the most talented wide receivers ever to play the game and definitely one of the top players today-for a middle of the road linebacker and ;i couple o f throw-away draft picks. 1 want to know what the people in the Viking's trout office were smoking and where I could get some. Oh, and don't do drugs. And finally, I) The New Orleans Saints are orphaned after Katrinn ravages Louisiana and the Superdome. A few weeks before the season was to begin. New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and football fell to the very back of most Saint's minds. But now they're just looking for somewhere to play. Many ideas were thrown around, but in the end they'll play half their home games in San Antonio, and the other half in Baton Rouge. Other things to mention: Kurt Warner was acquired and will be the starting QB for the Arizona Cardinals...but they will still probably suck; Philadelphia Eagles WR Terrell Owens whined all the way through training camp and the preseason. but that's what TO does. The only thing he does better is catching touchdown passes (14 last year in 14 games). And finally. Dolphins running back Ricky Williams came back from his year-long trip, emphasis on the word trip, because he's found himself (in other words he's broke, probably from all (he Cheetos and Taco Bell) and he wants to play football again. Yes, all of" that happened, plus a whole lot more. Just imagine what's going to happen when they actually get going. You can't? Well then I'll do it for you. Here are things you and I both know will happen: everyone will watch the Super Bowl, no one will watch the Pro Bowl; Michael Vick is going to accumulate more rushing yards than any other three quarterbacks combined; Peyton Manning will have the most regular season passing yards and the most regular season touchdowns. Oh. and Manning will have the biggest meltdown in the playoffs; regardless of how important they were in the 2004 Presidential election, there will not be one team from the state of Ohio (Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns) that will make the playoffs. The experts will pick the Vikings or the Colts or the Chiefs or USC to win it all-anybody but New England. Here's what you didn't know will happen: Tatum Bell (Tatum, who?), running back for the Denver Broncos, will rush for 1200+ yards; The Detroit Lions and the Arizona Cardinals are going to win their divisions (I know I said the Cards suck, but everyone in the NFC West does!); The Saints, Cowboys, Bills, and Jacksonville Jaguars will all make the playoffs...I'm not joking; WR Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) will lead the league in receptions; and finally rookie running back Carnell Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will lead the league in rushing yards. The Bucs have no choice but to hand him the ball 25-30 times a game; they have Brian Griese behind center. There's a lot to look forward to this season, but just know this. With all the changes and things that may or may not happen, there is one constant...Quarterback Tom Brady and his Super Bowl XL champion New England Patriots. Utah Valley loses to the University of Utah 3-1 From VOLLEYBALL-A10 UVSC set a team record with 80 kills in the opening round match of the LaQuinta Invitational, but still couldn't manage to knock off Idaho St in five games. But the Wolverines came back strong to take second place in the their own tournament with wins against both Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UC Davis. Lacee Koelliker continued to beat the school's assist's record she^previously set on several occasions, this time notching 65 against the Bengals. As a team, UVSC also tied a school record with 103 digs in the loss. "I'm disappointed, but the encouraging thing is we put ourselves in position to win," said Atoa in response to taking Idaho St to five games. Against Corpus Christi, the Wolves earned theirfirst3-0 win of the year, led by 13 kills from Endres. That was followed up with a four set win over the Aggies. Koelliker and Olsen both were named to the All-Tournament Team. Idaho St took the crown by going 3-0. / was checking out the men's basketball roster this year, and saw no Josh Cottie. Please tell me he didn t transfer. —Phineus, Orem No Phineus. he didn't transfer. It's that little thing referred to as an LDS mission that sent Josh away for a while. That's the same thing that takes a lot of local talent away for 730 days. Don't worry, he'll still be keeping in shape by playing basketball in Fort Worth... well, for an hour every oilier Monday. Here's a hypothetical. You. and Hootz (the Owlz mascot) racing around the base path, who wins? Also, Tom Kotchman has got to be one of the best managers in minor league baseball. — Cindy, Orem Hootz doesn't even touch first before I'm Pete Rosc'n into home plate. Hootz has skills, but speed isn't one of them. Yeah, you ask any of Kotclvs coaching peers, and they'll definitely tell you he's top tier, especially at the rookie ball level. Not only can he coach, but he's also a master recruiter (dirty work that mangers usually don't do). Did I mention he's got an overall record of 1,412 wins and 1,205 losses? The organization absolutely loves this guy. Wolverines look like cuddly things you could hug. How come you don V see any kids these days with stuffed wolverines on their beds? -Bob, Woodland Hills, CA Because a wolverine could rip their sweet little heads off, that's why. Just messing, we're actually pretty friendly creatures; unless of course we're hungry and you happen to be in the way. following the game three loss, stormed back to manhandle the younger Wolverines in game four and take the match. They led by as many as 13 in the final stanza. "We had to compete hard to win this match, and I think they were very competitive and fought hard," said Utah Head Coach Beth Launiere. "That is what I expect from a Sam Atoa team." "There were some encouraging things, and I think in matches like this we've got to be able to use it as some type of measuring stick on what we need to try and do to get our program in the direction we need to go," Atoa said. Jessica Endres led the Wolverines with 12 kills, while Anne Olsen and Camie Manwill chipped in with 11 apiece. UVSC also had 40 hitting errors, which contributed to the loss. They return home Tuesday the 27th facing Weber St. LaQuinta Utah Valley State Invitational Wolverine Wisdom MARKET RESEARCH INTERVIEWERS Chad CI-tfk/NetXf Jews Senior libero Maegan Hoyf goes for one of her match high 16 digs, during last Tuesday's match against the University of Utah. Below Jessica Endres (#11) and Camie Manwill (#14). Set your ov/n hours with the 13 ji largest and fastest growing international market research firm in the ivond. $7 to $12/Hour • RAID TRAINING No Selling Required* Good Typing Skills HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WELCOME TO APPLn tenediate interviews. Caf): 226-1524 1998 S. Columbia Lane. Orem. UT 84097 Harrislnteractivr Ihe Morris Poll' ' i ^ u n |