Oregon Daily Emerald
TUesday, November 9, 2004
“I don’t want the day to come where I pick up
that paper and it says (Zach) shot someone. ’’
Moe Smedley | Zach Randolph’s high school coach
■ In my opinion
BRIAN SMITH
LEFTY SPECIALIST
Prospective
Heisman
Trophy picks
picked apart
I don’t need Joey Heisman, circa 2001, in
order to get a healthy batch of Heisman Tto
phy fever.
I already have it.
The 2004 Heisman TVophy presentation is a
little more than a month away, but the actual
trophy will be tailgating somewhere in the
Autzen Stadium parking lot this weekend.
Really.
Go to voteheisman.com if you don’t be
lieve me.
What’s even better is that you can get
your very own photo taken with the trophy
and impress your buddies at the next poker
night.
You’ll be the envy of your crew or posse.
Thust me.
If a photo with the Heisman Trophy isn’t
worth spending Friday night in the parking
lot at Autzen, then I don’t know what is.
So, in honor of the most prestigious award
in college football making its way through the
sea of lightning yellow this weekend, let’s ex
amine the Heisman hopefuls.
Why?
Just because.
Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma Sooners
The freshman running back is threaten
ing a coup against the accepted tradition of
giving the award to juniors and seniors.
The Palestine, Texas native was the na
tion’s top prep recruit and has already
shown why.
Peterson has rushed for 1,373 yards in
nine games and has nine scores. He has
twice gone over 200 yards, both against
ranked opponents Texas and Oklahoma
State. His lowest output of the season was
the first game of his career, where he had
100 yards and a score.
Nine straight 100-yard games, nine
scores. Besides being only a freshman, the
one obstacle standing in his way is...
Jason White, QB Oklahoma Sooners
...his quarterback. The reigning Heisman
winner is once again in contention after
leading the Sooners to a 9-0 record and the
nation’s No. 2 ranking.
White has thrown for 2,130 yards and 25
touchdowns with only four interceptions.
White isn’t on pace to eclipse his 3,846
yards and 40 touchdowns from the previous
year, but the fact that he is a senior gives
him the edge over Peterson.
For now.
Alex Smith, QB Utah Utes
The dark horse in the Heisman race.
Smith has led the Utes to their highest rank
ing in school history and put them in posi
tion to become the first-ever non-Bowl
Championship Series conference team to
earn a BCS bowl bid.
His numbers are comparable to, if not
better than, White’s this year. Smith has
thrown for 2,196 yards, completed 66.4 per
cent of his passes, thrown 24 touchdowns
compared to two picks and has rushed for
439 yards and eight touchdowns.
HEISMAN, page 10
■ Club Sports
Oregon Club ruggers dominate on field
As the men handled Western
Oregon 54-5, the women took
care of Washington 48-10
BY BEAU EASTES
FREELANCE SPORTS REPORTER
The Oregon Club men’s and women’s rug
by teams ran rampant over Division II West
ern Oregon and rival Washington Saturday,
defeating the men from Monmouth 54-5 and
the Husky women 48-10.
“We were able to dictate what we were going
to do,” men’s head coach Justin Roome said.
The win marks the second victory in a row
for Roome’s squad.
“We played a loose game,” rugger Pete Bayly
said. “When we felt like opening up, we did.”
Back Colin Daviau led the Duck unit with a
hat trick against the undermanned Wolves.
“The whole back line played great,” Davi
au said when asked about his scores.
The Ducks jumped out to an early lead and
never looked back. Western Oregon didn’t
score until the final play of the contest - well
after the Duck’s starters had been removed.
made some amateurish mistakes,”
Roome said about the lopsided win, but at
tributed that fact to the youth of the team.
The Duck squad, mostly freshman and soph
omores, has high potential, according to Roome.
“We’re pretty young, which is promising
for the future.” Roome said.
Roome also noted that he was pleased with
the Ducks’ fitness level, describing his ath
letes as being in “really good” shape.
“Everyone’s optimistic,” the second-year
coach added.
Daviau and Bayly, veterans on the squad,
were pleased for the most part with the effort.
“We’re small,” Daviau said, “but we have
heart and gave it our all. We played pretty
good, but can play better.”
“We dictated the pace of the game,” Bayly
added.
The men ruggers conclude their fall presea
son schedule Nov. 20 in Corvallis against Ore
gon State in what Roome calls their “biggest
battle” of the fall.
Following winter break, the men’s squad
starts league play Feb. 12 with a home match
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
Oregon Club rugby player Mike Estis delivers a stiff-arm to a Western Oregon defender in the Ducks 54-5
runaway victory Saturday. The Ducks will showdown with Oregon State in the Civil War Nov. 20.
against Washington. The Ducks compete in
the Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union
(PNRFU) along with Oregon State, Washing
ton, Washington State, Western Washington
and Central Washington.
For the women, the win over the Huskies
gave the team a 1-0 mark in league play.
“It’s a great feeling,” forward Tfish Bronte
said.
With only 18 players (rugby teams consist of
15 participants on the field), many of which are
newcomers to the sport, the Ducks surprised
themselves with their offensive efficiency.
“It was really surprising how well we did,”
Bronte said. “It’s amazing how we came to
gether as a team.”
The Ducks started a front line of all new
faces, which is especially challenging in rugby
because team cohesion is such a crucial part
of play.
Bronte, the club coordinator, was also hap
py with her team’s defensive effort.
“Our tackling looked great,” she said.
Four players for Oregon scored their first
collegiate goals in the win over Washington,
according to Bronte.
The Duck women also finish their fall sea
son on Nov. 20 against the Beavers in Corval
lis in'a non-league game. Following the Civil
War matchup, the women ruggers don’t re
sume league play until Feb. 19 against West
ern Washington in Bellingham, Wash.
“Its nice to start off with a win,” Bronte
said, adding that the Duck women will be
"marked men” due to their success in the past
several years.
Beau Eastes is a freelance reporter
for the Daily Emerald
General managers begin baseball talks
Deals, trade deadlines, instant replays, hugs, handshakes all listed
as hot topics to be discussed in Florida at the annual GM meetings
BY BEN WALKER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Pedro Martinez,
Sammy Sosa and Randy Johnson figured to
attract plenty of attention once all 30 general
managers got together Monday and set up
shop for their annual meetings.
Many of the GMs had already arrived at the
ritzy oceanfront hotel by the time some other
prominent guests — members of the heavy
metal band Metallica — checked out. Quickly,
the baseball folks got down to business.
In the first trade of the offseason, San Diego
sent outfielder Terrence Long and pitcher
Dennis Tankersley to Kansas City for pitchers
Darrell May and Ryan Bukvich.
Also, the Montreal Expos — still operating
under that name, but expected to become the
Washington Nationals soon — cut reliever
Rocky Biddle. Count the San Francisco Giants
among the teams that came to Florida looking
for a closer.
Aside from deals, there are other things to
talk about during these five days. There will
be a discussion about moving the July 31
trade deadline, and instant replay was also
listed on the agenda.
“I think people want to see that the umpires
get it right,” said Bob Watson, vice president of
on-field operations. “1 think the postseason
proved they could do it without instant replay.”
Plus, there might be a debate about post-se
ries hugs and handshakes, such as what took
place between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los
Angeles Dodgers after their first-round NL
matchup. Fact is, a lot of old school executives
didn’t like it too much.
Along with the GMs, there was at least one
prime player in town. Scott Boras, who repre
sents free agents Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre,
Derek Lowe, Jason Varitek, Magglio Ordonez
and J.D. Drew, breezed through the lobby.
“I’m late for another meeting,” he said.
Traditionally, the GM gathering serves as a
precursor for the winter meetings, to be held
Dec. 10-13 in Anaheim, Calif.
“This is where you can lay the ground
work,” Atlanta GM John Schuerholz said. “1
don’t think you’ll see a lot of action here be
cause there are too many dynamic free agents
still out there.”
Carlos Delgado, Nomar Garciaparra, Tfoy
Glaus and Martinez are among the elite play
ers eligible. Only their former teams can talk
money with free agents until Friday. Just to be
sure, baseball sent out a two-page memo to
clubs last week reminding them that no collu
sion is allowed on offers.
Stung by Boston in the AL championship se
ries, the New York Yankees figure to make an im
pact sometime before opening day. That could
mean trying to lure Martinez away from the
World Series champion Red Sox and perhaps
making a trade to get Johnson from Arizona.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he’d spo
ken to most teams before flying south with
talks in the initial stages.
“The way these winters have gone, things
don’t move too swiftly,” he said.
Before tinkering with the roster, the Yan
kees might solidify their coaching staff. Don
Mattingly plans to return and it looks as if
pitching guru Mel Stottlemyre might also be
back. Former big league reliever Neil Allen
could become their bullpen coach.
Speculation kept swirling about a block
buster trade that would send Sosa from the
Chicago Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers for
Shawn Green in a swap of big hitters.
But Sosa’s contract is complex, and his agent
did not foresee the slugger going anywhere.
“I just think it’s unlikely,” Adam Katz said.
“There are too many intricacies involved. And
besides that, no one has called me. No one. I
think 1 would've heard by now.”