BAKER CITY HERALD • TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022 A5
SPORTS
NFL
PAC-12 FOOTBALL
NY Giants
rookies
Thibodeaux,
Neal penciled
in as starters
Lanning, Riley, DeBoer new coaches in spotlight
Thibodeaux is a
former Ducks star
BY TOM CANAVAN
Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
— Kayvon Thibodeaux and
Evan Neal were acquaintances
when the New York Giants
drafted them with the fifth
and seventh picks overall in
the NFL Draft in late April.
It seems now they’re linked
in more ways than one: They
are teammates and friends,
two big men who’ve gone up
against each other every day of
training camp. And as the first
week came to a close Satur-
day, the rookies also have been
penciled in as starters and
much is expected.
A linebacker and edge
rusher from Oregon, Thi-
bodeaux is going to line up
on both sides in coordina-
tor Wink Martindale’s keep-
them-guessing defense. Neal,
who came out of Alabama and
was the second of New York’s
first-round choices, has been
at right tackle since organized
team activities in the spring.
“They have articulated that
they’re counting on us, but I’m
counting on myself to make
the plays and live up to the
goals I have for myself,” Thi-
bodeaux said. “It’s been a great
journey so far, and I know that
they believe in us. And they’ve
given us all the tools to con-
tinue to elevate. So, now it’s
just up to us to make it hap-
pen.”
Neal and Thibodeaux occa-
sionally had been matched up
against each other in summer
camps when they were in high
school. Alabama and Oregon
never met on the field in their
college careers.
“It’s just so ironic that we
ended up on the same NFL
team,” Neal said. “I’m just ex-
cited to go against him every
day, get each other better. I be-
lieve that iron sharpens iron.”
The Giants got the extra
first round pick after making a
trade with the Chicago Bears
in the 2021 draft to drop down
from from 12th pick overall to
No. 20.
After five straight losing
seasons, the Giants need Thi-
bodeaux and Neal to perform
well as rookies if things are
going to start turning around
under coach Brian Daboll.
New York posted a 4-13 re-
cord in 2021.
Both have picked up the
playbook quickly: Thibodeaux
has shown ability to get to the
passer and Neal has blocked
well.
“He beats me some reps, I
get him some reps. That’s what
it’s all about, that’s the name
of the game — getting better,”
Neal said.
However, the workouts
have been in shorts and jer-
seys. Things change next week
when the pads are put on.
Thibodeaux has gone from
being a big, talkative person-
ality in the early days after
the draft to more businesslike
since camp opened.
“You got to know how to
compartmentalize,” Thibo-
deaux said. “There’s a time
and place for everything. So,
when we are on the field it’s all
business, and now it’s training
camp. We’re getting ready for a
long journey.”
Neal said the two don’t
share notes off the field for
fear of giving the other an ad-
vantage.
“We’ve just been putting our
head down and we’ve been
working,” Neal said.
The Giants will take that
kind of attitude.
BY JOE REEDY
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Coaching
changes in the Pac-12 are a given, but
it is rare when it happens to three of
the most recognizable programs in the
conference.
Such is the case with Southern Cal-
ifornia, Oregon, and Washington,
which have new coaches on the side-
line this season. The schools have won
five of the last six conference titles.
“It’s interesting and unique. That’s
what makes it fun,” Washington of-
fensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland said
during the conference’s media day on
Friday, July 29. “Now we have a whole
bunch of different teams and schemes
coming around. It will be cool to see
everyone getting after each other.”
USC made waves last December
when it convinced Lincoln Riley to
leave Oklahoma. After Mario Cris-
tobal left Oregon for Miami, the Ducks
tabbed Dan Lanning, the defensive co-
ordinator at Georgia.
The most significant upheaval has
been at Washington, where Kalen De-
Boer is the Huskies’ third coach in four
seasons. DeBoer was at Fresno State.
The coaching changes haven’t
changed preseason expectations. The
media picked Utah to defend its con-
ference title, with Oregon second, USC
third and Washington sixth.
Riley faces the most pressure to
produce immediately after leading
the Sooners to a 55-10 record in five
seasons and two appearances in the
College Football Playoff. Pressure is
routine for Riley, who was 33 when he
succeeded Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.
USC was picked by the media to
win the Pac-12 South last year, but
went 4-8 and fired Clay Helton two
games into the season.
Sean Meagher/The Oregonian, File
Head coach Dan Lanning as the Oregon Ducks hold their annual spring football game
at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, April 23, 2022.
“I know our players are certainly
excited to be on a national stage
early and get to play an elite
opponent in Georgia. That being
said, we’re really focused on
right now.”
— Dan Lanning,
Oregon head football coach
“If there’s no pressure, then you
probably don’t have the same oppor-
tunities others do. You’ve got to see the
opportunity. If you do it well, anything
is possible,” Riley said. “This is one of
those programs and one of those cities.
If you do it well, the sky’s the limit.
“You don’t come to USC or Los An-
geles to do things small.”
With a huge assist from the trans-
fer portal, Riley was able to rebuild the
Trojans for a conference title run this
season. Quarterback Caleb Williams
also came from Oklahoma, while run-
ning back Travis Dye transferred from
Oregon and Biletnikoff Award-win-
ning wide receiver Jordan Addison
from Pittsburgh.
Williams said he hadn’t noticed
much change since Riley moved to the
West Coast.
“I think he might wear some flip-
flops more often, but other than that,
he hasn’t really changed much. He
stays him, and that’s what you love
about coach,” Williams said.
This is the first head coaching job
for Lanning, who was on Georgia’s
staff the last four seasons. He admit-
ted that it has been a bit of a whirlwind
getting up to speed.
“Certainly, a lot of pieces go into
being a head coach. You wear a lot of
hats,” he said. “It’s fun piecing together
the talent. It’s also about bringing in
coaches that are about relationships
and development.”
The Ducks, who were 10-4 last sea-
son, open against defending national
champion Georgia in Atlanta on Sept.
3. They return most of their front
seven on defense, including linebacker
Noah Sewell, while adding former Au-
burn quarterback Bo Nix.
“Certainly excited about going back
and seeing some familiar faces going
there, getting to compete against a
mentor and a friend in Kirby Smart,”
Lanning said. “I know our players are
certainly excited to be on a national
stage early and get to play an elite op-
ponent in Georgia. That being said,
we’re really focused on right now.”
Washington is DeBoer’s third head
coaching job. He was at Sioux Falls for
five seasons (2005-09) and won four
NAIA national titles before coaching at
Fresno State the last two seasons.
DeBoer is well aware of Washing-
ton’s upheaval since its last Pac-12 ti-
tle in 2018 and is trying to make sure
the transition to his staff tries to be as
seamless as possible. The Huskies were
4-8 last season, but return some tal-
ent, along with potential competition
at quarterback between Dylan Morris,
Sam Huard, and Indiana transfer Mi-
chael Penix Jr.
“You got some guys that have had
multiple position coaches. If there’s
anything that’s been hard, it’s just re-
ally understanding that these guys
have been through a lot,” DeBoer said.
“Simplifying it down, just trying to fo-
cus on winning that day is what we are
trying to do, worry about the things
we can control and make a name for
the 2022 team.”
Bill Russell, NBA star and civil rights pioneer, dies at 88
BY JIMMY GOLEN
Associated Press
BOSTON — Bill Russell
redefined how basketball is
played, and then he changed
the way sports are viewed in a
racially divided country.
The most prolific winner in
NBA history, Russell marched
with Martin Luther King Jr.,
stood with Muhammad Ali
and received the Presidential
Medal of Freedom from Presi-
dent Barack Obama. The cen-
terpiece of the Boston Celtics
dynasty that won 11 cham-
pionships in 13 years, Russell
earned his last two NBA titles
as a player-coach — the first
Black coach in any major U.S.
sport.
Russell died Sunday, July 31
at the age of 88, with his wife,
Jeannine, at his side, his fam-
ily said in a statement posted
on social media. No cause of
death was immediately avail-
able; Russell, who had been
living in the Seattle area, was
not well enough to present the
NBA Finals MVP trophy in
June due to a long illness.
“We hope each of us can
find a new way to act or speak
up with Bill’s uncompromis-
ing, dignified and always con-
structive commitment to prin-
ciple,” the family said. “That
would be one last, and lasting,
win for our beloved #6.”
A Hall of Famer, five-time
Most Valuable Player and 12-
time All-Star, Russell in 1980
was voted the greatest player
in the NBA history by bas-
ketball writers. He remains
the sport’s most decorated
champion — he also won two
college titles and an Olympic
gold medal — and an arche-
type of selflessness who won
with defense and rebounding
while others racked up gaudy
scoring totals.
Often, that meant Wilt
Chamberlain, the only wor-
thy rival of Russell’s era and
his prime competition for re-
bounds, MVP trophies and
With summer
here, there is
lots of traveling.
Be safe &
have fun!
Mike Lawrie/Getty Images-TNS, File
Member of the Boston Celtics’ 1966 Championship team Bill Russell is honored at halftime of a game be-
tween the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat at TD Garden on April 13, 2016, in Boston.
“To be the greatest champion in your sport, to
revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a
societal leader all at once seems unthinkable. But that
is who Bill Russell was.”
— Boston Celtics statement on Sunday
barroom arguments about
who was better. Chamberlain,
who died in 1999 at 63, had
twice as many points, four
MVP trophies of his own and
is the only person in league
history to grab more re-
bounds than Russell — 23,924
to 21,620.
But Russell dominated in
the only stat he cared about:
11 championships to two.
“Bill Russell was the great-
est champion in all of team
sports,” NBA Commissioner
Adam Silver said. More im-
portantly, he added: “Bill
stood for something much
bigger than sports: the values
of equality, respect and inclu-
sion that he stamped into the
DNA of our league.”
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In a statement released by
the White House, President
Joe Biden praised Russell for
his lifelong work in civil right
as well as in sports, and called
him “a towering champion for
freedom, equality, and justice.”
“Bill Russell is one of the
greatest athletes in our history
— an all-time champion of
champions, and a good man
and great American who did
everything he could to deliver
the promise of America for all
Americans,” Biden said.
Reaction poured in Sunday,
from Obama to Michael Jor-
dan, from Magic Johnson to
Boston’s Mayor, Michelle Wu.
“Today, we lost a giant,”
Obama said. “As tall as Bill
Russell stood, his legacy rises
far higher — both as a player
and as a person. Perhaps more
than anyone else, Bill knew
what it took to win and what
it took to lead.”
A Louisiana native, Russell
also left a lasting mark as a
Black athlete in a city — and
country — where race is of-
ten a flash point. He was at
the March on Washington in
1963, when King gave his “I
Have a Dream” speech, and
he backed Ali when the boxer
was pilloried for refusing in-
duction into the military draft.
In 2011, Obama awarded
Russell the Medal of Freedom
alongside Congressman John
Lewis, billionaire investor
Warren Buffett, then-German
Chancellor Angela Merkel
and baseball great Stan Mu-
sial.
“To be the greatest cham-
pion in your sport, to revo-
lutionize the way the game
is played, and to be a societal
leader all at once seems un-
thinkable,” the Celtics said on
Sunday. “But that is who Bill
Russell was.”
Russell said that when he
was growing up in the segre-
gated South and later Cali-
fornia his parents instilled in
him the calm confidence that
allowed him to brush off rac-
ist taunts.
“Years later, people asked
me what I had to go through,”
Russell said in 2008. “Unfor-
tunately, or fortunately, I’ve
never been through anything.
From my first moment of be-
ing alive was the notion that
my mother and father loved
me.”
It was Russell’s mother who
would tell him to disregard
comments from those who
might see him playing in the
yard.
“Whatever they say, good or
bad, they don’t know you,” he
recalled her saying. “They’re
wrestling with their own de-
mons.”
But it was Jackie Robinson
who gave Russell a road map
for dealing with racism in his
sport: “Jackie was a hero to us.
He always conducted himself
as a man. He showed me the
way to be a man in profes-
sional sports.”
The feeling was mutual,
Russell learned, when Rob-
inson’s widow, Rachel, called
and asked him to be a pall-
bearer at her husband’s fu-
neral in 1972.
“She hung the phone up
and I asked myself, ‘How do
you get to be a hero to Jackie
Robinson?’” Russell said. “I
was so flattered.”
William Felton Russell
was born on Feb. 12, 1934, in
Monroe, Louisiana. He was a
child when his family moved
to the West Coast, and he
went to high school in Oak-
land, California, and then the
University of San Francisco.
He led the Dons to NCAA
championships in 1955 and
1956 and won a gold medal in
1956 at the Melbourne Olym-
pics in Australia.
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