The University Daily Kansan
National Football League
Falcons in Bowl at last
The Associated Press
SUWANE, Ga., - Morten Andersen often has been to the Super Bowl as a television analyst for his native Denmark.
This year, they'll have to find someone else.
The 38-year-old Andersen will be on the field for the Super Bowl this year when his Atlanta Falcons meet the Denver Broncos.
"Given the two choices, I'm really glad where I'm at." he said yesterday after the Falcons' first practice for the Jan. 31 game in Miami.
It took 17 seasons — 13 with the New Orleans Saints and the last four in Atlanta
before Andersen's dream came into focus, standing 38 yards from two tall, yellow posts at the Metrodome.
"I got my target," Andersen said of his game-winning kick in the Falcons' 30-27 overtime victory over Minnesota in the NFC championship game.
Falcons' tight end O.J. Santiago, who caught a crucial pass on the winning drive in overtime, figured the game was finished as soon as the Falcons crossed midfield.
"I knew Morten was automatic." Santingo said.
Andersen sympathized with Minnesota kicker Gary Anderson, who had not missed a kick all season until a 38-yard kick late in the fourth quarter slid just outside the left upright.
"I know how he must feel," Andersen said. "He had a tremendous year, and no one should take that away from him."
Denver guard overcomes operations
Schlereth will play in third Super Bowl
The Associated Press
DENVER — His sliced-and-diced body tells him it's time to quit, but his heart won't let him. Mark Schiereth, a medical marvel, keeps going strong despite 21 operations.
On Jan. 31, the Denver Broncos offensive guard will once more block out his anatomical ruination and play in the Super Bowl, his third time.
"It's who I am," he said Tuesday with a shrug.
Schlereth's latest surgery came last October, the 12th operation he has had on his left knee. Before that, he had bone chips
removed from his left elbow in the preseason.
knee in 1985. In November 1997, he had three elbow surgeries and underwent back surgery to repair two herniated disks.
In all, he has had 17 knee operations including reconstructive surgery on his left
Schlereth also was rushed to the hospital
in 1995, where he passed a kidney stone. Hours later he was playing in a Monday night game against Oakland.
Despite all the injuries and operations, Schlereth had an even scarier moment. In 1993 he contracted Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is a neurological condition that left him with no feeling in his hands or
legs, tripping over himself and unable to play. He missed the last seven games of that season, but he recovered.
Unique recuperative abilities and an incredible tolerance for pain have marked Schlereth's 10-year professional career, which included six seasons in Washington D.C.
Doctors were unsure if he would be able to return from back surgery in November 1997, but he returned five games later and started in the line that contributed to the Broncos' Super Bowl win against Green Bay.
He tore cartilage in his left knee in Denver's first regular-season game this season but played in the next five games. He had arthroscopic surgery before a bye week and was back playing in 13 days without missing a snap.
"Unless he has the surgery the day of the game, I expect him to be back there each
week, performing at a level like he's never missed a beat," Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said. "He's unbelievable."
Last August, Schle里德 had a bone chip the size of a molar removed from his left elbow. The next day he was back at training camp carrying the bone chip in a plastic container in his knapsack. He proudly showed it to teammates and reporters. He still keeps the bone chip at home, a souvenir of the injury that sidelined him for one preseason game.
In his locker, he has posted a picture of debris removed from his elbow. Also hanging from his locker is a small bottle containing cartilage removed from his knee in his first operation in 1983, when he was in high school.
He admitted that he could have avoided all those macabre memories by finding another line of work.
49ers name Bill Walsh team's general manager
The Associated Press
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Trying to recharge a front office left in disarray by the departures of its top people, the San Francisco 49ers reached into their past for stability and direction yesterday by hiring Bill Walsh as general manager.
Walsh the Hall of Fame
a consultant in 1996.
coach who laid the ground work for the 49ers' long-running success, signed a four-year contract. Terms weren't disclosed.
Walsh coached the 49ers to three Super Bowl victories in the 1980s and had an uncomfortable year-long stint under George Seifert as
Walsh made it clear he was there to complement the efforts of coach Steve Mariucci, who signed to a new five-year contract last week, and praised him as one of the finest coaches in the league. San Francisco went 12-4 this season and beat Green Bay in a wild card playoff before losing to Atlanta in the divisional round.
Joining Walsh in the front office will be Terry Donahue, the former UCLA coach and broadcaster, who was hired as the team's player personnel director.
The team also hopes to hire former 49ers receiver Gene Washington as an executive vice president.
control to his sister, coowner Denise DebBartolo York, in December 1997 when he was targeted in a Louisiana gambling fraud probe. The NFL is expected to decide by this spring whether to allow DebBartolo to regain control of the team.
Eddie DeBartolo is awaiting NFL clearance to resume active ownership of the team. He ceded day-to-day
Walsh's return puts the 49ers' front office back on a stable course after a series of departures that began in July when Carmen Polich quit as team president because of a falling-out with DeBartolo.
Dwight Clark resigned as San Francisco's general manager in late November to join Policy in assembling the expansion Cleveland Brown. Larry Thrakillk, who succeeded Policy on an interim basis, quit this month and Vinny Cerrato was fired last week as director of player personnel.
Bears looking to finish search for new coach
Chiefs' assistant seeking position
The Associated Press
LAKE FOREST, Ill. The Chicago Bears' list of coaching candidates is getting longer at the same time they're trying to narrow it down.
As Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Pendry and Kansas City defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham were interviewing with team president Michael McCaskey Monday, the Bears were getting permission to talk to Bill Belichick and Brian Bilick.
New York Jets, and Billick, the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator, popped up on the Chicago rumor mill early, the Bears couldn't talk to either until their teams were out of the playoffs. The Jets and
Though Belichick, who is the assistant coach for the
Vikings both lost Sunday.
And Bill lick's stint on the Bears'
wish list could be short-lived. Minnesota has had its top three vardage totals in team history under Billick and set a team record of 6,264 yards on offense this year. That has made him a hot commodity in the NFL's coaching merry-go-round, and he was scheduled to meet with
Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell yesterday.
Aside from Belichick and Billick's late additions, the Bears have moved into phase two in their search to replace Dave Wannstedt, who was fired three weeks ago. Candidates are now meeting with McCaskey, who will make the final decision.
"It was great. I really enjoyed it. I felt very relaxed. I had fun talking about football." Cunningham said. "I was glad he didn't talk about anything else other than football because that's about all I know."
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