Football
continued from page 7
ing room, I heard Jerry Green’s
piercing announcer’s voice
scream, “Kenny Wheaton inter
cepts the football! Kenny
Wheaton intercepts the football!
Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score!”
I ran back to the television, but
because of the audio delay, all I
caught were 44,000 rowdy Oregon
fans swarming the field and top
pling the left goal post. Freshman
cornerback Kenny Wheaton, sec
ond on the depth chart at the time,
intercepted Huard’s pass near the
Name that defense
Want to name the Oregon football
defense?
They’re a gang and they’re green,
but defensive coordinator Nick
Aliotti said that these Ducks can't
share the same nickname of the
1995 Rose Bowl squad. So, we at the
Emerald sports desk are hosting an
informal “name that defense” com
petition.
It’s simple: Just e-mail your nick
name ideas to Smittside@aol.com.
We’ll publish the top-10 ideas in an
upcoming Game Day supplement,
along with your name of course. For
the top nickname, we are giving
away a copy of the 1995 book titled,
“The Year of the Duck.” The book is
written by former Oregon sports in
formation director George Beres,
and is a detailed look into the Ore
gon Ducks’ 1995 Rose Bowl season,
full of unique anecdotes and capti
vating pictures.
And hey, who knows. Your idea
might make headlines across the na
tion.
Blazers' Schrempf retires after
15 NBA seasons
TUALATIN — Detlef Schrempf, a
versatile and consistent forward, re
tired Monday after 15 NBA seasons.
The 37-year-old German, who
played last season with the Portland
Trail Blazers, averaged 14.2 points, 6.3
rebounds, and 3.4 assists for his ca
reer. He was an All-Star three times.
Schrempf said he was looking
forward to spending more time with
his family and building some busi
nesses he’s involved in.
“I would especially like to thank
the Blazers organization,” Schrempf
said in a statement. “They are a first
class organization and gave me the
opportunity to play for a champi
onship-caliber team.”
Padres may soon be Gwynn-less
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego
Padres are accustomed to losing sea
sons. The Padres might now have to
get used to life without Tony
Gwynn.
After coming off a sub-.500 sea
son for the 21st time in the team’s
32-year history, the Padres will in
voke the $2 million buyout clause
in Gwynn's contract.
But whether that means that the
eight-time National League batting
champion is finished in San Diego
remains just one of many offseason
questions facing the Padres.
“We’re looking at a lot of tough
decisions,” GM Kevin Towers said.
“But there may be none tougher
than what to do with Tony. ”
After left knee surgery on June 27
wiped out Gwynn’s season, the
Padres have decided to buy out his
contract, allowing Gwynn to be
come a free agent.
Gwynn, who turns 41 in May, bat
ted .323 in his 19th season. But the
injury sidelined the 15-time All
Star for all but 36 games.
“I don’t have much to decide on until
the Padres make their decision,”
Gwynn said. “But regardless of what
happens, I’m confident that I’ll be ready
for next season. I’mnot wonied.”
goal line and returned the ball 97
yards to secure the 31-20 win. By
many accounts, it was the biggest
play in Oregon history.
At that exact moment, the tide
turned in the Northwest. Washing
ton no longer dominated Oregon
on the field. The game changed the
Oregon-Washington matchup from
a grudge match into a intense, bit
ter rivalry.
The Ducks went on to the Rose
Bowl that season and pushed the
program to a new level.
Since then, Wheaton went on to
a three-year stint with the Dallas
Cowboys, and is now nursing an
injury and is without a profession
al team. Brooks had a brief head
coaching stint with the St. Louis
Rams and made it to the Super
Bowl as an assistant with Atlanta.
Oregon football has recorded
more wins than any other Pacific
10 Conference team since 1994
and has gone on to four bowl
games in that span.
It is the Oregon-Washington ri
valry that has undergone the
biggest change. The Ducks have
won five of their last seven games
against the Huskies and finished
higher than them in the Pac-10
standings three times.
Players and fans attending this
season’s Washington game were re
minded of Wheaton’s heroics Sat
urday as the former Oregon comer
back was named an honorary
captain. When the famous inter
ception was played on the Autzen
Stadium megavision screen,
Wheaton buried his head in his
hands in embarrassment.
Wheaton was not embarrassed,
however, to see his former team
demolish the No. 6 Huskies, 23-16.
Oregon defensive backs Jermaine
Hanspard and Matt Smith each
picked off Husky quarterback Mar
ques Tuiasosopo once, though nei
ther came close to the magnitude
of Wheaton’s pick in ‘94.
Wheaton’s presence also re
minded Duck fans that the last
time Oregon defeated two top-10
opponents on consecutive week
ends, it went to the Rose Bowl.
It’s still too early to really tell,
but the Ducks may have what it
takes to reach the Rose Bowl —
and they reached this point on a
foundation laid by Kenny
Wheaton and his teammates.
Robbie McCallum is a sports reporter for
the Emerald. He can be reached at
coa ch_ro bb i e@ lycos .com
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