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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 6, 2008
Lefty brings speed to Rox
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Light-hitting speedster Scott Podsednik, catalyst of the Chicago White Sox's world championship run in 2005, agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies.
Since leading Chicago to the championship, Podsednik has been slowed by injuries. He batted 243 with 12 steals and 30 runs in 62 games last season, when he spent 11 weeks on the disabled list with a pulled right adductor muscle and another three weeks with a strained left rib cage muscle.
2006, his four
straight _season
with at least 40
steals.
Scott Podsednik
He hit .261 and stole 40 bases in
In 2005, he batted .290 with 59 stolen bases, the second-highest total in
franchise history, and hit two home runs during the playsoft, including a game-ending drive in Game 2 of the World Series against Houston.
battle incumbent and fellow left-handed hitter Cory Sullivan.
Podednik, who stole 70 bases with Milwaukee in 2004, will bid for a back-up job to center fielder Willy Tavares with the NL champion Rockies. Hell's
If healthy, Podsednik, who turns 32 next month, could provide Colorado with another base-sealing threat to Tavens following the free agent departure of second baseman Kaz Matsui to Houston.
The Rockies are concerned if Taveras has nagging leg muscle pulls like he did last season.
In five seasons and two September call-ups with Seattle (2001-02), Milwaukee (2003-04) and Chicago (2005-07). Podsednik owns a .272 career batting average with 224 stolen bases.
>> NBA
Shaq may be on move to Phoenix
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — Shaquille O'Neal is prepared for the Miami Heat to trade him, a confident of the 14-time All-Star center told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.
O'Neal's associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal anything publicly, indicated a move could be imminent.
"Shaq thinks something will happen," the associate said.
The Miami Herald reported earlier Tuesday that the Heat are in "serious and ongoing" trade negotiations with the Phoenix Suns. A Heat spokesman said the team had no comment, and several Suns officials didn't immediately return phone calls from The AP.
Miami Hea's Shaquille O'Neal prepares to pass against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter of a basketball game on Miami on Friday. Rumors are spreading that he may be traded.
The Herald report said the Suns would send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami in exchange for O'Neal, who is averaging a career-low 14.2 points per game and has been sidelined for the past two weeks by a lingering hip injury.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mannings hope for repeat
Former general manager's faith in Eli plays key role in bringing NY Giants first championship since 1991
NFL
Arche Manning, left, is shown with his sons Eli, center, and Peyton, right, during a news conference in New York, in this April 22, 2004 file photo in the very special case of the Manning family of New Orleans, the baby brother had to wait his turn to make it to the Super Bowl. So give quarters back Eli Manning this much: Playing second fiddle is nothing new. He didn't need to be compared to Tom Brady to get an inferiority complex. He grew up on the son of one great quarterback, the baby brother of an even better one.
BY TOM CANAVAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHANDLER, Ariz. — Eli Manning wants another Super Bowl, one against big brother, Peyton. Next year wouldn't be too soon.
"It would be fun to be back to the Super Bowl, Eli said Monday. "That's the way I look at it. If it happens to be against the Colts, then that would be a fun game to be a part of"
Manning made the most of his first shot Sunday, leading the New York Giants on a late game-winning, 83-yard touchdown drive in a stunning 17-14 win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
The performance earned Eli an MVP award, just a year after Peyton got the same award for leading the Colts to a title over the Chicago Bears.
"You still want to do it again. You still want to have this feeling again," Eli added. "It's hard to say that now because you're still enjoying it now, but you have to have the same commitment to playing football. I've got to become a better quarterback."
"It doesn't change my attitude, my personality, or even my goals for next season." Manning said. "It's still the same. I'm happy today, I'm fired up and I'm going to enjoy this moment.
That can wait until after the Giants ticker-tape parade Tuesday in New York.
"Everybody's looking forward to it," Manning said. "I'm sure New York will throw a pretty good parade for us."
Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who appeared with Manning at the MVP press conference on Monday in Phoenix, said the fourth-year quarterback has come a long way since that first year when teams like Baltimore made him look foolish with blitzes.
His Super-Bowl-winning 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico
Burress came on a Patriots' blitz.
("They) had been playing zone, keeping two safeties back and just playing a little conservative through that whole drive," said Manning, who completed 19 of 34 for 255 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. "Finally, I knew they'd come after us. They came out with a blitz and had one-on-one with Plaxico Burress. That's a matchup we're going to take every time."
The touchdown not only spoiled the Patriots' perfect season and made the Giants a Super Bowl champion for the third time, it also vindicated former general manager Ernie Accorsi's decision to acquire Manning on draft daw in 2004.
Despite being encouraged by the Manning family to pass on Eli, San Diego drafted him No. 1. The Giants then acquired him from the Chargers for the rights to quarterback Philip Rivers — the No. 4 pick overall — and a couple of draft picks, one of which turned out to be All-Pro linebacker Shawne Merriman.
Every time Manning struggled in the past 3½ seasons. Accorsi got blamed for mortgaging the future of the franchise on Peyton Manning's not-as-good little brother.
"I couldn't be happier," Accorsi said Monday at the Giants' team hotel. "I have a thick skin. To me, it was part of the job. If he wasn't playing well, I was going to be criticized. I don't have any vindictive feeling. It was too great a moment to think about that."
Accorsi said the frantic fourth quarter in some ways mirrored the ups and down of the past four years with Manning.
"Your quarterback just cost us the championship," a Giants fan sitting in front of Accorsi turned and velled.
With New York clinging to a 10-7 lead with 8:32 to play, Manning scrambled out of the pocket near his own 30-yard line and overthrew a wide-open Plaxico Burress with a lob pass along the left sideline.
It seemed prophetic when Tom Brady took over on the next possession and led an 80-yard drive
that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss with 2:42 to play.
Then it all came together. With everything on the line, Manning took his team down the field and got into the end zone in the final minute with a 13-yard pass to Burress.
Naturally, Accorsi was thrilled. So, too, was a former critic sitting in front of him.
The man who accused Manning of costing the Giants the Super Bowl eight minutes earlier turned and tried to kiss Accorsi.
After the parade, Accorsi and the Giants have some housekeeping chorus
"He was aiming right at my lips, but he didn't get that close," a laughing Accorsi said while shaking his head.
Coach Tom Coughlin is expected to get a lengthy contract extension that will pay him around $5 million annually. He made $3.25 million this year and was to make the same in 2008.
Linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor, safety Gibril Wilson, kicker Lawrence Tynes and punter Jeff Fegles — all starters in the Super Bowl — are free agents.
"We'll get moving on that as soon as we get back," said general manager Jerry Reese, the man who replaced Accorsi.
"I might have laid down for an hour or two but I don't think I slept," center Shaun O'Hara said. "I think I just closed my eyes. It might have been the first time I slept with a smile on my face."
Most of the players looked tired on Monday after a long night of partying.
"I think we are going to win some more of these," he said. "The Patriots had their dynasty and now I think we can start ours."
Tynes also had a smile on his face.
The perfect ending for Eli Manning would be going head to head with Peyton for another NFL title.
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