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SPORTS Thursday, January 21, 2016 East Oregonian NFL Page 3B Men’s Basketball Jackson chasing unlikely Super Bowl attracted the Patriots following injuries to running backs Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount. “I think his career speaks for itself,” coach Bill Belichick said after signing Jackson in December. By KYLE HIGHTOWER Jackson said the “by Associated Press committee” approach with James White and Brandon Bolden that FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — was described to him in his initial Steven Jackson wasn’t waiting conversations with New England by the phone late last month helped him visualize a situation when the Patriots called looking he felt he could succeed in. for a running back to plug the It also helped that he had KROHVRIWKHLUEDWWHUHGEDFN¿HOG previously played under Patriots He didn’t even hear it ring as offensive coordinator Josh he sat in a meeting with some of McDaniels when McDaniels was his St. Louis business partners, in the same role for the Rams in going over some legal documents -DFNVRQUDQIRU\DUGV for his restaurant there. that season — at the time, his “I had a missed call. My agent seventh consecutive season of at called me back and asked if the least 1,000 yards. Patriots reached out to me,” he AP Photo/ “It just makes the transition a Charles Krupa said. “It kind of went from there.” OLWWOHVPRRWKHURQFH\RX¶UHDI¿OL- Six weeks later, the three-time ated and exposed to the offense,” Pro Bowl selection — who last Jackson said. “Because it is quite appeared in the playoffs as a St. complicated.” Louis Rams rookie in 2004 — is In his two regular-season in the unlikely position of being when most running backs are his last NFL game. He debuted just a game away from a Super considered well past their prime, with the Patriots on Dec. 27 and appearances for New England, he Bowl berth that he once accepted Jackson was content to enter said that before signing with UXVKHGWLPHVIRU\DUGVDQG would never come. New England, the only time he a touchdown. The Patriots only post-football life. “That was the largest factor But when a franchise with watched a game this season was ran the ball 14 times in their win RYHU .DQVDV &LW\ ODVW ZHHN EXW to be honest with you,” Jackson four Super Bowl rings calls, it’s on Thanksgiving. said. “I haven’t been in the post- worth hearing the pitch. +H ¿QGV KLPVHOI LQ D ODUJHO\ Jackson had six of those carries for 16 yards. season in quite some time. It had “Of course, you didn’t think unfamiliar situation. Though he never thought to be the right situation. It wasn’t RUZHHNVLQWRWKHVHDVRQLW $IWHU -DFNVRQ ZHQW one where I couldn’t move on would come...Nothing happens 10 consecutive seasons without he’d be in this position two with life or I couldn’t move from SHUIHFW´-DFNVRQVDLGLQWKH a winning season or playoff months ago, Jackson said the the game. It had to be one that locker room on Wednesday as appearance with St. Louis or most important thing to him right EHQH¿WHGERWKVLGHV$QG,WKLQN he prepared to play the Denver $WODQWD now is the support he’s getting at this is one of the few opportuni- %URQFRV LQ WKH $)& FKDPSLRQ- It didn’t stop his productivity, home from his family. ties that allow that to happen.” “I think it made it a lot easier though. He remains the Rams ship game. $IWHU DSSHDULQJ LQ JDPHV “But this time it seemed DOOWLPH OHDGLQJ UXVKHU as far as them allowing me to ZLWK $WODQWD LQ -DFNVRQ to work out the best for both yards), and he had more than come back and get back into the was released shortly after the parties,” he said. 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns game of football,” he said. “They season and was without an NFL understand this is just an opportu- Forget playing, Jackson LQKLVEULHIVWLQWLQ$WODQWD MRE $W \HDUV ROG DQ DJH barely watched football after It was the kind of resume that nity I couldn’t turn down.” Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith (21) and defensive back Tyvon Branch (27) tackle New England Patriots running back Steven Jack- son (39) in the irst half of an NFL division- al playoff football game, Sat- urday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. Former Oregon State star was resigned to life after football +DPLOWRQ8&/$ beat Oregon State Associated Press &259$//,6 ² ,VDDF +DPLOWRQ VFRUHG SRLQWV RQ RI VKRRWLQJ DV 8&/$ EHDW 2UHJRQ 6WDWH RQ :HGQHVGD\ night. 2UHJRQ6WDWHFXWLWVGH¿FLWWRDIWHU a 6-0 run capped by a Drew Eubanks dunk ZLWK OHIW 8&/$ responded by scoring the next seven points. Hamil- WRQ¶V OD\XS ZLWK UCLA remaining put the Bruins XS The margin hovered around 10 points — or more — the rest of the FRQWHVW $ SDLU RI %U\FH Oregon St. $OIRUG IUHH WKURZV JDYH 8&/$ LWV ELJJHVW OHDG ZLWKOHIW $OIRUG KDG SRLQWV VL[ UHERXQGV DQG ¿YH DVVLVWV DQG 7KRPDV Welsh added 10 points and 12 rebounds for WKH%UXLQV3DF 8&/$RXWUHERXQGHG2UHJRQ6WDWH DQGVKRWSHUFHQWFRPSDUHGWRSHUFHQW for the Beavers. Gary Payton II had 17 points and seven DVVLVWVDQG7UHV7LQNOHDGGHGSRLQWVDQG eight rebounds for the Beavers (11-6, 2-4), who dropped their third straight. Payton went to the bench with his second IRXO ZLWK UHPDLQLQJ LQ WKH KDOI DQG the Beavers were held scoreless for more WKDQVL[PLQXWHV8&/$ZHQWRQDUXQ GXULQJWKHVSDQWRWDNHDOHDG $DURQ +ROLGD\ ZHQW FRDVWWRFRDVW DQG sank a buzzer-beating jumper from the base- OLQHWRJLYH8&/$DOHDGDWWKHEUHDN ——— TIP-INS 2UHJRQ 6WDWH 6HQLRU IRUZDUG -DUPDO Reid was suspended a minimum of four games for tripping a referee during Oregon 6WDWH¶VORVVWR8WDKRQ6XQGD\7KLV ZDVWKH¿UVWJDPHKHPLVVHG 82 73 Women’s Basketball More parity in Pac-12 means positive things for the entire league By ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press For the better part of two decades, Stanford dominated women’s basketball in the Pac-12. Now, teams like $UL]RQD 6WDWH DQG 2UHJRQ State are catching up and building their own legacies. The result of this growing parity has been good for the league as a whole. The Pac-12 has four teams FXUUHQWO\ UDQNHG LQ WKH $3 7RS$UL]RQD6WDWHDW1R 2UHJRQ 6WDWH DW 1R 6WDQIRUGDW1RDQG8&/$ at No. 20. Washington is just outside of the rankings. Utah coach Lynne 5REHUWVLQKHU¿UVW\HDUZLWK the Utes, noted the challenge as the league gets into the WKLFN RI FRQIHUHQFH SOD\ “Every night, anyone can beat anybody.” Evidence of the Pac-12’s upswing is in the RPI. There are six Pac-12 teams among WKHWRSLQWKH1&$$53, rankings, more than any other conference. That’s the league’s best showing since it expanded to 12 teams in 2011. “I think the exciting thing is we came out of the preseason with the No. 1 RPI, and I don’t think we’ve done WKDW YHU\ PXFK´ $UL]RQD 6WDWH FRDFK &KDUOL 7XUQHU Thorne said. “I think one of the criticisms was the strength of schedule for some of the teams in our conference.” %HFDXVH53,¿JXUHVLQWRD team’s fate in the postseason, there’s speculation that the Pac-12 could see as many as HLJKWWHDPVPDNHWKH1&$$ tournament this season, up IURP¿YHWKHSDVWWZR\HDUV The shift in the league was apparent on Sunday, when Stanford’s dominance over 2UHJRQ 6WDWH ¿QDOO\ HQGHG 7KH &DUGLQDO Pac-12) had won 29 straight meetings between the two teams — stretching back to 2001 — until the thrilling FRPHIURPEHKLQG Beavers victory. Deven Hunter had SRLQWV LQFOXGLQJ ¿YH SRLQWHUV DV ZHOO DV rebounds, and the Beavers HUDVHGDSRLQW WKLUGTXDUWHU GH¿FLW DQG ¿QLVKHGRQDUXQ The Beavers have been on an upward track for the past six years, when coach Scott Rueck took over a team in shambles and had to stage open tryouts. Oregon State won the league’s regular-season title last year, ending a 14-year streak during which Stanford had either won it outright or shared it. $IWHU WKH ORVV 6WDQIRUG coach Tara VanDerveer pointed to the league’s parity. “I think that now there’s a little bit more — like in the past there might have been teams here, and some teams here,” she said, indicating two levels with her hands. “There have always been good teams, now there’s just a tighter pack.” With stellar defensive play, the Sun Devils also defeated 6WDQIRUGRQ-DQ $UL]RQD 6WDWH¶V UDQNLQJ this week matches the highest ever for the team. The Sun 'HYLOV DUH WKH only undefeated team left in conference play, coming off DQYLFWRU\RYHUWKH8WHV on Sunday. The school’s 12-game winning streak is three shy of the school record set during WKHVHDVRQ Turner Thorne thinks there’s something more at play when it comes to the 3DF¶VULVH7HOHYLVLRQ7KH Pac-12 Network has made women’s basketball on the :HVW &RDVW PRUH DFFHVVLEOH than ever before, which is key to both ranking and recruiting. ³$ORWRIJUHDWSOD\HUVDQG a lot of great teams didn’t get near the recognition they deserved,” she said. “Now you can’t help but watch and VHHXV)URPWKH¿UVW\HDULW¶V been drastically different, in terms of the polls, in terms RI 1&$$ VHOHFWLRQ SOD\HUV getting recognized.” 2UHJRQ¶V -LOOLDQ $OOH\QH is one of those players EHQH¿WLQJ IURP WKH OHDJXH¶V H[SRVXUH $OWKRXJK WKH 'XFNV DUH building under second-year FRDFK.HOO\*UDYHV$OOH\QH is rightfully getting national attention. /DVW ZHHNHQG $OOH\QH became the Pac-12’s all-time OHDGLQJUHERXQGHUZLWK boards, passing former Stan- IRUG VWDU &KLQH\ 2JZXPLNH $ VHQLRU $OOH\QH KDV appreciated the competition. “This is probably the toughest the Pac-12 has ever been since I’ve been a part RI WKH FRQIHUHQFH $QG LW¶V so fun to go in every night knowing you’re playing against a great team, or a team that’s going to make \RX EHWWHU´ VKH VDLG ³$Q\ night, it’s anyone’s game. The competition is just far and beyond than when I started.” CLASSIFIED M ARK ETPL A C E Pla ce cla ssified a d s on lin e a t w w w.ea storeg on m a rketp la ce.com or ca ll 5 4 1-278-26 78 C O N TAC T US EDITIO N S DEADLIN ES 24 HO UR S ERVIC E 211 S.E. Byers Pen d leto n , O rego n 97801 Cla ssified : 1-800-962-2819 Fa x: (541) 278-2680 Cla ssified em a il: cla ssified s@ ea sto rego n ia n .co m M o n d a y O n lin e Tu esd a y W ed n esd a y Thu rsd a y Frid a y Sa tu rd a y 2 p.m . Frid a y 3 p.m . M o n d a y 3 p.m . Tu esd a y 3 p.m . W ed n esd a y 3 p.m . Thu rsd a y 3 p.m . Frid a y Cla ssified : 1-800-962-2819 Fa x: (541) 278-2680 • (541) 567-1764 Circu la tio n a n d m a in sw itchbo a rd : 1-800-522-0255 cla ssified s@ ea sto rego n ia n .co m Lea ve u s a m essa ge a n d w e w ill co n firm yo u r a d the n ext w o rk in g d a y. To ll Free in O rego n : 1-800-522-0255 Lost & Found 5 FOUND NEAR Echo. Female dog, blonde, short hair. 35 lbs. Aprox 1 year old. 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