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TODAY IN SPORTS
Cortes named Pitcher of the Week
Eugene Emeralds relief pitcher David Cortes
was named the “Northwest League Pitcher of
the Week" for the seven-day span including Au
gust 5 through August 11.
During that span, Cortes earned his first pro
fessional victory
and notched two
saves in pitching in
three games. In six
innings of work,
Cortes didn’t allow a
hit or a run, walking
two and striking out
seven.
On the season, Cortes is currently sporting a
0.53 earned run average and a 1-0 record with
three saves. In 17 innings pitched, the righty has
allowed just one run while striking out 19 bat
ters.
Jerome Kersey Signs With Lakers
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Free-agent forward
Jerome Kersey signed a contract with the Los
Angeles Lakers on Monday. Teams were not re
vealed.
Kersey, 34, played in 76 games with Golden
State last season,
starting 58. Heaver
aged 6.7 points, 4.8
rebounds and 1.2
steals in 21.3 min
utes.
Originally a second-round pick of Portland in
the 1984 NBA draft, Kersey played 11 seasons
with the Trail Blazers, where he became only the
second player in franchise history to register
10,000 career points and 5,000 career re
bounds. The first was Clyde Drexler.
In 907 career games, the 6-foot-7 Kersey is
averaging 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.27
steals.
“We’re thrilled with the addition of a quality
veteran player to our extremely young team,”
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said.
“Jerome will provide us with additional front
court depth, and is a player with an outstanding
work ethic and playoff experience."
Hakeem Olajuwon Weds
in Prearranged Marriage
HOUSTON — Following the Islamic custom
of prearranged marriages, Houston Rockets
star Hakeem Olajuwon and Dalia Asafi were
married last week in a traditional ceremony.
“There is no dating process, no boyfriends
and gintriends in Is
lam,” Olajuwon said
in a statement Mon
day. "Families meet,
talk, get to know
one another. Then
the marriage is
arranged.”
Olajuwon, a 33
year-old Nigerian who is now a U.S. citizen,
worshiped for years at the same Houston
mosque as the 18-year-old bride's father. But
since men and women are separated when
praying, he did not meet his future bride or her
mother until a meeting was arranged.
“In the Islam faith, it is customary for a girl to
marry much younger than they do in America,
at age 15 or 16, for instance,” Olajuwon said.
“Dalia may be 18 in terms of age, but because
of her background, beliefs and religious under
standing, she, like many other Islamic young
women, possesses a maturity, knowledge and
wisdom beyond her years.”
They were married Thursday in Houston. Ola
juwon has an 8-year-old daughter, Abisola,
from a prior relationship.
Football Practice Begins
Daily Double Trouble
EN MIN CHANG/Emerald
Tailback Jerry Brown participates in late afternoon blocking drills and in the process takes
out his aggression on the blocking dummy.
Two-a-day practices may be
tough, but the Ducks are taking
them in stride as they prepare for
their season-opener on Aug. 31
By Chris Hansen
Freelance Reporter
With the midday sun beginning to beat
down upon the Oregon football team’s
practice field, the players finally are re
leased from drills — two and a half hours
after they started.
Still exhausted from the last set of wind
sprints, the players, all 102 of them, walk
towards the exit that will take them back to
the Casanova Center across the street, slow
ly shedding the shoulder pads and helmets
that in 90 degree heat can be suffocating.
Undershirts, shorts and entire bodies
soaked with sweat, the players reveal in the
fact that practice is over, but at the same
time, they know that their day is only half
over. In little more than four hours they
will be back in the same spot, pads on and
helmet strapped, to do it all over again. For
11 more days.
Welcome to fall camp. Welcome to two
a-days. Daily doubles. Or as most of the
players on the team would say: Welcome to
hell.
“Your legs don’t want to move any
more,” senior offensive tackle Paul Wiggins
describes. “You don't move as quick,
you’re in pain everywhere and you just
have to do things psychologically.”
“I don’t like anything about it, I really
don’t,” claims junior cornerback Kenny
Wheaton who then reconsiders, “[I do like]
the three meals a day. But that’s about it.”
But according to head coach Mike Bel
lotti, fall camp is not without reason.
“The main objective is to teach our of
fensive and defensive scheme," Bellotti
said. “And secondly to evaluate personnel.
And the third is to prepare to win our first
games.”
And this is something the players under
stand, if not begrudgingly.
“It’s hard, but we need it,” Wheaton said.
“If it takes once a day, twice a day or three
times a day that’s what we need to do.”
Wiggins agreed.
“Two-a-days are a test of how prepared
Turn to PRACTICE, Page 6
am&t&z mses&msm - --
Patriots spank Cowboys 31 -7 in preseason play
By Denne H. Freeman
The Associated Press
IRVING, Texas — Thirty-six years after they came
into existence and 26 years after the AFL-NFL merger,
the New England Patriots finally beat the Dallas Cow
boys.
Hason Graham returned the second-half kickoff 96
yards for a touchdown and the Patriots beat Dallas for
the first time in franchise history, 31-7 in an exhibition
game Monday night.
Dallas has beaten the Patriots all six times they have
met in the regular season and once in an exhibition
game.
New England coach Bill Parcells, whose team faces
the Cowboys again on Dec. 15, said the Patriots
shouldn’t be overjoyed by the victory.
“It’s a win, but it’s just a preseason game,” he said. “I
looked out there and didn’t see Emmitt Smith playing
for Dallas, but I’m glad we moved the ball against their
defense. We still did too many dumb things.”
Said Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe: “We ran the
ball well and that is a good sign. The Cowboys are a bet
ter team than they showed. When we play in December
it will be a different game.”
The Cowboys, who lost 32-6 to Kansas City last Mon
day night, dropped to 1-2. New England evened its pre
season mark at 1-1.
The Patriots built a 10-0 halftime lead, driving 49
yards in nine plays the first time they had the ball and
scoring on a 3-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe to tight end
John Burke, who beat linebacker Jim Schwantz. Adam
Vinatieri kicked a 39-yard field goal for the Patriots in
the second quarter.
Graham, a second-year wide receiver from Georgia,
rode a wave of good blocking down the right sideline
for the touchdown that broke the game open.
Jimmy Hitchcock’s interception of a pass by Wade
Wilson at the Dallas 31 positioned New England for a
short drive capped by Dave Meggett’s 2-yard run, and
Corey Croom scored from a yard out for the third touch
down of the third period for the Patriots, making it 31-7.
Dallas coach Barry Switzer wasn’t happy.
“Tonight’s performance was not indicative of a world
champion,” Switzer said. “We didn’t strike fear in any
body’s heart the way we played.”
Dallas linebacker Darrin Smith said the Cowboys
need to start getting serious about preseason games with
the regular season not that far away.
Turn to NFL, Page 6
■ NFL: New
England picks up
first win in
franchise history
over 1996 Super
Bowl champs