2C. THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
INSIDE SPORTS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004
Flinging at Fraser
Former teammates match up
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — For six seasons, defensive end Grant Wistrom and offensive tackle Orlando Pace squared off hundreds of times on the practice field as St. Louis Rams teammates.
Their matchup will be for real now that Wistrom is a member of the Seattle Seahawks (3-0), who host the Rams (2-2) Sunday.
2) Sunday. "It's going to be a nice battle," Pace said. "We'll probably exchange some words out there, but nothing we didn't do on the practice field."
do on the practice.
For now, both players are passing on any trash talk. "I'm not that stupid." Wistrom said, while Pace simply said of their practice-field skirmishes, "we made each other better."
Reunion matchups are an everyweek occurrence in the NFL, where the salary cap forces teams to allow good and even great players to walk away.
detection for the hail damage.
Wistrom signed a $14 million bonus with Seattle that the Rams simply couldn't match.
"That's the sad thing about free agency and the salary cap." Wistrom said. "Whenever you have a good football team people are going to come and raid it."
But Wistrom, known for his high-energy style of play, was the emotional leader of the St. Louis defense.
He's been named to five straight Pro Bowls.
and it.
Pace and Wistrom were key building blocks that turned the Rams from a 1990s bottom-feeder into a powerhouse.
His loss was the biggest offseason defection for the Rams.
"That's the key with Grant — he's a big effort guy," Pace said. "You can't let up on him at all."
Wistrom, a Missouri native who played at Nebraska, was the Rams' first choice a year later.
Pace was the first overall pick of the 1997 draft out of Ohio State, and immediately became one of the league's dominant tackles.
The Rams, 4-12 in Wistrom's rookie season, won the Super Bowl following the 1999 season.
Now, Wistrom is part of a vastly improved Seattle defense that ranks No. 1 in the NFL.
No. 1 in the N.F.L.
"In our division at this point they really are the team to beat." Rams coach Martz said. "They're playing well in all phases."
He forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Rashad Moore in a 10-6 win at Tampa Bay, and batted a ball that became an interception for rookie safety Michael Boulware in a 21-7 victory at New Orleans.
package.
"He brought an attitude and a work ethic up above his actual ability that is good for us," Holmgren said.
in wistrom, who had 7 1/2 sacks last season, has 2 1/2 for the Seahawks, who are coming off a bye week.
"We are very young on defense. To have a guy that guys can look at, how they practice, how they play, is very important to us."
But Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said that's only part of the package.
Ben Parrott, Overland Park sophomore, throws a Frisbee to a friend on the front lawn of Fraser Hall yesterday afternoon. Yesterday's high was 79.7 degrees according to http://www.wunderground.com.
Earnhardt yearns for more
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is about to turn 30, and despite occasional indiscretions like being penalized for cursing on TV, he longs to be the go-to guy in NASCAR.
with my dad to be up in that trailer every weekend," he said. "All the drivers have said that was something they really liked about dad was that he could go up in there and get something done for the drivers.
Already the sport's biggest star despite his lack of a championship, Junior is adored by millions of fans, is wealthy beyond the dreams of most and has shown he inherited a considerable amount of talent from his late father.
In five years in NASCAR's top stock car series, Junior has won 14 times and has finally become a legitimate title contender; going into Kansas Speedway this week he is second in points with only seven races remaining.
But he wants more — and not just on the racetrack.
"I'm kind of like the guy who has some old valuable baseball card in his collection that he's looked at for years and doesn't know it," Earnhardt said.
The elder Earnhardt, a seven-time champion and the biggest star of his generation, died in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500. At the time of his death, he was the biggest name and the most powerful influence in NASCAR, often visiting the NASCAR hauler to let the sport's officials know his opinion of every crisis or proposed change.
"Everybody is always telling me about my position in the sport and how far I reach. I can't grasp it. I don't know if I walk into a room who is listening and who isn't," he said.
"I'd love to be that guy. Who wouldn't? Hopefully, I can just get smarter and every time I talk I'll know what I'm talking about and everybody will think it was awesome and they'll do it."
More important, the NASCAR officials more often than not listened to Junior's father. That's what the younger Earnhardt wants.
"I know it was pretty commonplace
It may be a while, though.
It may be a whirlwind.
Little E's remarks came a day before he raced away with his latest win at Talladega Superspeedway, then let his mouth race away with him in Victory Lane, uttering a vulgarity during a postrace TV interview on NBC Sports.
The curse brought a $10,000 fine from NASCAR and, far more important, the loss of 25 points, turning a 13-point lead over Kurt Busch into a 12-point deficit.
Kansas athletics calendar
Swimming, intraquad meet at home at 6 p.m.
Soccer at Missouri at 7 p.m.
TOMORROW
SATURDAY
Softball vs. Colorado State at Lincoln, Neb. (Big Red Fall Classic) at 10 a.m.
Softball vs. Nebraska-Dmaa at Lincoln, Neb. (Big Red Fall Classic) at 3 p.m.
Volleyball at Colorado at 7 p.m.
Football vs. Kansas State at home at 6 p.m.
SUNDAY
Softball vs. Colorado State at Lincoln, Neb. (Big Red Fall Classic) at 12:30 p.m.
Fall Classic) at 12 p.m.
Softball vs. Nebraska-Omaha at Lincoln, Neb. (Big Red
Fall Classic) at 3 p.m.
Rowing at Rockford, Ill., all day
TALK TO US
Tell us your news. Contact Danielle Hillix or Joe Bant at 864-4858 or sports@kansan.com
Football secondary to home life
BY PATRICK KINMARTIN
Daily Trojan,
University Southern California
VA J-WIRE
He doesn't have a car to get him around town or his mom's cooking waiting for him at dinner, and he certainly wouldn't mind lounging in his old bed instead of having to lie around in the one at his apartment.
LOS ANGELES — Like any freshman going to college 2,000 miles away from home, University of Southern California linebacker Keith Rivers doesn't have access to the all the amenities he grew up with the past couple years in Florida.
The transition has been a smooth one so far for Rivers, who recorded two key sacks in the Trojans' victory over Stanford two weeks ago and continues to play a bigger role on the defense as each game passes.
But you can bet Rivers is thankful this week to have a stable roof over his head.
The one resting atop his family's home in Lake Mary, Fla., was ravaged when Hurricane Jeanne rolled through the area in September. Rivers said no family members or close friends were injured when the natural disaster struck — a relief for him as he continues to entrench himself into life in Los Angeles.
THU
"I'm not that worried about how it's going at home; everything's OK," he said. "We're just going to have to get a new roof and some other things fixed up."
In the meantime, friends and family from home can take comfort in knowing Rivers will be a crucial part of the Trojans' plans this week as they prepare for their Pacific-10 Conference showdown with California. Southern California coach Pete Carroll said Rivers made the most of the repetitions in practice he gained last week while starting outside linebacker Matt Grootegte sat out to rest a minor injury.
B
Rivers has not made his first college football start, but each week he is making it tougher on Trojan coaches to keep him off the field.
Contact Logan College at 1-600-533-9210 or at loganadm@logan.edu to receive an information packet describing the world's fastest growing healthcare profession. You can also visit our website at www.logan.edu
keep him on the feet.
"He is really fast and tough," Carroll said. "He has an unusual body in that he can strike guys in a small space and unload on them."
Logan College of Chiropractic gives you the skills to help patients get well through non-invasive healthcare while preparing you to earn a substantial income commensurate with your position as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Most DCs work in a private practice setting, providing time for family and other important quality of life priorities.
Chiropractic... The Right Choice For Your Future
Is your dream to become a doctor, to study in beautiful surroundings, with a world-renowned faculty and state of the art facilities - what more could you want in a professional education? Logan College students receive all this and more! If you are ready to accept the challenge of graduate professional study in science, physiotherapy, nutrition, radiology, clinical sciences, chiropractic techniques and extensive clinical rotations, then Logan College is the place for you.
1-800-533-9210
www.logan.edu
1