February 3, 2016
Page 9
S PORTS
Super Bowl Sunday
Title game brings faceoff
of No. 1 vs. No. 2 picks
(AP) — In 2011, the Carolina
Panthers and Denver Broncos were
picking through the rubble of sea-
sons gone horribly wrong — and a
draft board that was unusually load-
ed with talent at the top.
The Panthers picked Cam New-
ton with the irst overall pick and
the Broncos chose Von Miller with
the second selection.
Five years later, they’ll meet in
the irst matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2
in the Super Bowl.
“I’m a fan of his,” Newton said.
“I’m his biggest fan,” said Miller.
While studying ilm of the top
outside linebacker in the league,
Newton said he’s “trying to ind any
and every way to alleviate him be-
ing a pain” come kickoff.
Miller said he’s doing the same
thing with the league’s best quarter-
back.
Super Bowl 50 could very well
hinge on which All-Pro prevails.
No matter who wins, it’ll be a tale
of both triumph and redemption.
Newton suggested for the irst
time last week that race may play a
factor in why he’s become a light-
ning rod for public criticism, and
Miller, who’s also black, said he
can’t fathom why anybody would
criticize Newton.
“I mean, for what, dancing after
making big plays?” Miller asked. “I
do the same thing.”
Indeed, they both play the game
with childlike cheerfulness, dancing
or dabbing to celebrate their success.
CBS to Broadcast Championship
The Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers will
face off in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, Feb. 7 with kickoff
scheduled for 3:30 p.m. (PST) on CBS (KOIN-TV Channel
6). The NFL championship will be played at Levi’s Stadium
in Santa Clara, Calif., home of the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2011, Cam Newton (left) was the No. 1 draft pick overall selected by the Carolina Panthers, and
Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller, was the second overall pick selected by the Denver Broncos. Five
years later, the irst-ever matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2 will face off Sunday in the Super Bowl. (AP Photo)
Each is a kid at heart, taking his $103.8 million contract last offsea- sion to start the 2013 season and an
role as loquacious locker room cut- son, and Miller is in line for a mega- ill-conceived plan to add 25 pounds,
up as seriously as he does his rank deal this offseason.
which he now believes led him to
as team captain.
“If he played defense he probably tear his right ACL at the end of that
“I don’t think there’s ever been would have gotten $220 million,” season.
another quarterback that plays the Miller said of Newton. “Because
Re-establishing himself as one of
game the way he does, and especial- he can probably rush the passer and the league’s premiere pass-rushers,
ly the way his personality is on the drop back and play safety and all he’s had 25 sacks over the past two
ield,” Miller said. “I’m just a big that other stuff, too.”
seasons.
fan of everything he has going for
Their passion for the game
Newton overcame a horrif-
him. He’s a huge role model.”
helped both Miller and Newton ic-looking automobile accident in
They’re even similar in build — navigate a mineield of bumps, 2014 that left him with two fractures
Miller is 6-3, Newton 6-5, and both lumps and slumps on their spunky in his lower back and imperiled his
pack a lean 245 pounds.
soar to superstardom.
status as the league’s dominant du-
Newton signed a ive-year,
Miller overcame a drug suspen- al-threat quarterback.
Blazers Host Run for Youth
The Portland Trail Blazers are
adding their own basketball spin to
Oregon’s ultimate running event,
the 2016 adidas Shamrock Run.
Joining this year’s running
events on Sunday, March 13 will
be the irst-ever Blazers Lepre-
chaun Lap, a 1k fun run/walk for
kids 10 and under and their fam-
ilies. The lap begins and ends at
Waterfront Park, downtown.
Participants will receive a Blaz-
ers Leprechaun Lap t-shirt and a
special Trail Blazers prize at the
inish line. Registration is open
now at trailblazers.com/shamrock.
In their efforts to inspire chil-
dren to be healthy and active, the
team will reward the irst 200 kids
registered for this year’s Blazers
Leprechaun Lap with a free game
ticket to watch the Trail Blazers
take on the Denver Nuggets at the
Moda Center on April 13.
With 35,500 participants, the
adidas Shamrock Run is the larg-
est running event in Oregon and
is the third-largest in the western
United States. The race offers
competitive distances including
5k, 8k, 15k and a half-marathon.