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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2003)
Sports Editor Hank Hager hankhager@dailyemerald.com Tuesday, October 21, 2003 Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Best bet MLB playoffs: N.Y. Yankees at Florida 5 p.m., FOX Hank Hager Behind the dish Harrington in no-win situation with Lions Somewhere in Cincinnati on Sunday, Carson Palmer must have had a smile on his face. The first-year pro, for one, was on the sidelines as the Bengals defeated Baltimore, 34-26, for their second win of the season. He didn't see any playing time in the win, but by just staying on the sidelines he was gaining more of a future than Joey Harrington did in Detroit's 38-7 blowout loss to Dallas. The former Oregon hero was just 5 of 13 against the Cowboys for 30 yards and two interceptions. He was pulled in favor of backup Mike McMahon in the first half. As Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press pointed out in a column Monday, Har rington's quarterback rating against the Cowboys was a paltry 7.1. "But on the Lions' scale it is but another all too familiar rumbling, a groundswell of questioning the quarterback's compe tence," Sharp wrote. "Harrington's pathet ic individual effort in the most horrid col lective exhibition of Lions football in the last three years will set the tone of public outrage in the aftermath of Sunday's 38-7 loss to Dallas. "Screaming for the quarterback's head in this town has become reflexive, but creating a quarterback controversy is a foolish waste of emotion because for there to be a 'controversy' there must first be a 'quarterback'" Where Palmer is being given a chance to compete in the future, Harrington has been set up to fail by the mere fact he has stepped on the field every game in just his second professional season. The Lions are 1-5 this season. They haven't had a winning season since 2000 when Detroit went 9-7. The specter of a winning season has shrunk quickly this year, and the title wave that engulfed Ford Field has washed away Flarrington's early potential. Detroit is a sinking ship, even with head coach Steve Mariucci, and the Detroit brass has done nothing but hurt the Portland native's ability to get tried and hue experience. Throwing Harrington in games, as the Lions did last season, was unfair. He is getting experience, but it isn't of a quality nature. Harrington doesn't have receivers that can make or break a game. His top go-to guy, Charles Rogers, broke his collarbone in early October and may not see the field for at least a few more weeks. When Flanington was with Oregon, he had a cast of offensive players that was well suited to his ability. Granted, Detroit can't base it's offense on his talents, but there needs to be an adjustment. Before all the blame is placed on Detroit itself, Harrington must be tossed some of the criticism himself. Sharp may have been a bit harsh to criticize the former Duck so bluntly. Still, a passer rating of 7.1 is downright nasty to look at. Turn to HAGER, page 6 USC, UCLA loom large for Oregon 1 ! \ j i' \ A r i li. Mark McCarnbridge Photographer Kristen Bitter is seventh in the Pac-10 with 1.04 blocks per game in conference play. The Ducks return to McArthur Court this week to face two teams ranked in the top-10 By Jon Roetman Sports Reporter This week provides the Ore gon volleyball team with a good news, bad news scenario. The good news: The VOLLEYBALL ?ucks _ have com pleted the first half of their Pacific-10 Con ference schedule and will be bet ter prepared when they face op ponents for a second time. Ihe bad news: It may not mat ter how prepared Oregon is when the Ducks face No. 9 UCLA on Thursday and No. 1 USC on Friday. The Bruins and Trojans are tal ented enough to strike fear into the heart of any opponent, but the Ducks are staying upbeat and positive about their chances. "They're both awesome pro grams, and they both have strong traditions behind them," freshman middle block er Kristen Bitter said. "It is (easy to be in awe), especially as a freshman going against the No. 1 team. "But it's so exciting. Not very many people get this opportuni ty, so 1 look at it as a blessing and an honor." Bitter added that the Ducks can relax and go after their first conference win now that they have seen all of the Pac-10 teams. "I don't think things will go the same during the second half of the Pac-10 (schedule)," Bitter said, "We know what we're go ing up against. Ihe shock factor is gone, and now it's just time to play volleyball and see who we can get." Oregon head coach Carl Fer reira said UCLA (14-4 overall, 6 3 Pac-10) presents a smart oppo nent that will not beat itself, ihe Bruins are led by juniors Brynn Murphy and Heather Cullen. Murphy is averaging 3.88 kills per game, while Cullen is at 3.06. "They have a high volleyball IQ," Ferreira said. "They have a very methodical attack and hit their shots over and over and over." Collegiate power The Trojans (18-0, 9-0) are the defending national champion and have held the top position in die collegiate rankings for die entire season. They have three players averaging more than three kills per game, and Ferreira said the Trojans usually have the size, adrleticism and experience to overwhelm their opponents. To put it in perspective, Fer reira added that USC has more than 100 matches of internation al experience among its players, compared to none for Oregon. "They're the best collecdon of collegiate players on a volleyball team I've ever seen," Ferreira said. " They're just very good at what they do." Double-digit Mason Freshman outside hitter Sarah Mason led the Ducks with 10 kills in the loss on Friday at Ari zona State. Mason, who has recorded double-digit kills in 10 of the Ducks' last 11 matches, stands ninth in the Pac-10 with 3.59 kills per game during con ference play. Turn to VOLLEYBALL, page 6 Bruins fighting for conference crown UCLA has won and become a big surprise in the Pac-10 this season By Hank Hager Sports Editor For anyone who thought UCLA would be in the bottom half of the Pacific-10 Conference standings at the conclusion of the 2003 season, the Bruins have been surprising. So startling that UCLA could be considered the surprise of the Pac-10 this season. UCLA (5-2 overall, 3-0 Pac-10) proved that with a 23-20 overtime victory over California on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. "We keep finding a way to win," UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell said after the game "We have a little luck on our side It was a heck of a football game" California trailed for most of tire game, but came back to tie the score with a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 11 seconds to play. UCLA's Justin Medlock kicked a 41-yard field goal in extra time, then watched as California's Tyler Frederickson hit the left upright on a 50 yard attempt, giving the Bruins the victory. The close win allowed UCLA to stay in a tie for first in the Pac-10's race for the confer ence crown. The Bruins had to battle through a quarterback PAC io Sharon M. Steinman Fort Worth Star-Telegram Jarrad Page (4) and the Bruins have won each of their first three Pac-10 games to remain in a tie for first. dilemma early in the season that claimed sopho more Matt Moore. He won the starting job to begin the season, but gave way to sophomore Drew Olson after an injury in the first game of the season against Col orado, a 16-14 loss. At the time, Moore was expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with a severe bone bruise on his left tibia. Moore is back but has been designated as the backup to Olson. He has seen action in two games since coming back from the injury but is waiting for his chance to start. "Right now we have a four-game winning streak," UCLA offensive coordinator Stave Axman told the Los Angeles Times. "1 feel our quarterback is playing well, and he's getting better. To make a change — you’ve got to worry about making that type of change. On the other hand, we feel very confident in Matt and his ability to step in." Olson has passed for 1,107 yards this season in six games, five of which are starts. 1 le has completed 91 of 162 passes and has thrown four touchdown strikes while being picked off five times. I he Bruins are 5-1 this season when Olson starts. Walter wastes no time Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter lit up North Carolina Saturday, just one week after throwing for more than 300 yards against Oregon. The junior was 34 of 58 for 408 yards. He has now thrown for more than 300 yards in three straight weeks after accomplishing the feat in a win over the Ducks and a loss to USC. Walter's Heisman campaign, which was in full steam entering the season, has dwindled a bit, and it's unlikely it will get back on track enough for him to make a charge this season. But next year is a different story. Not going to happen ESPN.com reported on Monday that the West ern Athletic Conference plans to raid the Sun Belt Conference. An announcement was made last week that Rice, Southern Methodist and Tulsa would leave the WAC after accepting invitations to join Conference USA. Ihe WAC, according to the article, is eyeing eight teams from the Sun Belt as possible replacements. Speculation now has it that the Pac-10 will follow Turn to PAC-10, page 6
