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-sports A _J Hiiurew Football^ (JSC defensive tacklo Andrew Provence season. Rogers ad From Staff Reports Former USC running back George Rogers has admitted to using cocaine during his rookie season with the New Orleans Saints. The 1980 Heisman Trophy winner from Duluth. Ga.. told a Dress con ference in New Orleans this past week he has completed a drug rehabilitation program. "I am soiry for what I did," Rogers said in his first meeting with the press since reports indicated he purchased more than $10,000 worth of cocaine during the 1981 football season. "I am human and 1 did make a mistake, and 1 can live up to that. It will never happen again. That's as honest as I can get.'' The National Football League Rookie of the Year checked into the Palm Beach Institute in south Florida July 7 and was released two days later after undergoing an extensive nrtr/ikiofmn oirnlunfmn artrl focfinit fnr pojv.iuaui^ ^vaiiAauuii oiiu twvmg ivt drug dependency, according to Rogers' attorney, Edward "Punky" Holler. Tests found no evidence of drug dependency and showed Rogers was physically and emotionally healthy, Holler said. Rogers engaged only in "recreational" drug use and did not take any habit-forming drugs since January, Holler said. "Physicians concluded George will not engage in the use of cocaine or any other habit-forming drugs in the future since these drugs are not compatible witn nis gooa moral character," Holler said. The news conference was called to stop rumors about Rogers and other Saints players' involvement with drugs, according to Saints coach Bum Phillips. "I'm certainly not a believer in ZkmZsxZ I ^ - , aP'xS. Batter up The intramural softball season con Prnuen not highest p 7 _j|p^ ^-^^HHMsSKflp ?SBk BSE831 : ^ ^ i^SS I P Photo by C*( (70) led the Gamecocks with 157 tackles pits usin sports briefs drugs," Phillips said. "But I am a believer in people. If it comes out like I think it will, you'll give him (Rogers) an opportunity to prove he doesn't believe in drugs either. I am, in my mind, convinced it's over and done with." A gag order was placed on everyone involved in the trial of former Saints running back Mike Strachan, who has been accused of selling cocaine to NFL players and others. Rogers and other Saints who admitted using cocaine may be called to testify in the trial. n FORMER USC pitcher Joe Kucharski is off to a good start in his first month of professional baseball. Kucharski, a rising senior who gave up his final year of eligibility at USC, is pitching for the Class A Hagerstown (Md.) Suns of the Carolina League. The 6-3, 225-pound righthander has a 2-1 record with a 1.38 ERA. In 13 innings, he has struck out eight and walked seven, while giving up 11 hits and two earned runs. After winning his first two decisions in relief appearances, Kucharski lost this past week to the Durham Bulls. Kucharski, who was 11-3 with a 2.97 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 122 innings for Carolina in 1982, is considered a starter in the Suns'five-man rotation, according to a Suns spokesman. Kucharski was scheduled to start Tuesday night against Lynchburg. LI IJ LI FORMER LADY Gamecock basketball player Suzanne Woolston tinues through Aug. 1* Playoffs begin Aug. IUC iriority for senior d |il^j By Todd Shealy Andrew Provence. Football player. Big, | tough and mean. Likes to hurt people. Provence wants it known he is primarily a s * W,. student at USC who just happens to be on the * ? football team. What he won't tell you is that a he is one of the nation's top college defensive tackles and a good bet to be named an AllAmerican by the year's end. A stalwart on USC's defensive line for the past two years, Provence is gearing up for his final season with unusual modesty. "Right now my main concern is getting through summer school," Provence said. Rut hp addpd that hp is lifting wpiehts and B running several times a week in preparation for fall practice, beginning next month. When asked about the possibility of being named an Ail-American, he said, "I'll play the best I can possibly play and do the most I * *Hammond can do for the team. I try not to think about i last individual awards." Whether or not he thinks about them, g cocaine H has been named assistant women's MKCICW basketball coach at the University of l|jjj Woolston, a graduate of Columbia's yK Spring Valley High School, played at Wife I TCP i rvrro inon uov/ in emu low. one udiiucucu mm to Old Dominion University following |gw her sophomore season. ,,$& This past season, Woolston was a starter for the Lady Monarchs, a team that recorded a 22-6 mark. Woolston will assist Hawaii head |g| coach Jerry Busone, who was for merly an assistant at Old Dominion. USC'S MEN'S basketball team will have a slightly better chance of seeing post-season play during the upcoming V season, as the National Collegiate Athletic Association has tentatively approved 52 teams to compete in its p Division I playoffs. The decisions, which were made by ^ the Division I basketball committee, must be approved by the NCAA Executive Committee at a meeting next month. The expansion from 48 teams re##1 was announced this past week. ??-W Also, the NCAA awarded the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans the 1987 semifinals and championship and gave Kansas City's Kemper Arena the 1988 Final Four. New Orleans was the site of the Final Four this past March. The NCAA said it will retain the present 48-team bracket for the 1983 cnampionsnip. n,igni 01 me auiomauc qualifiers will engage in a pretournament elimination round at neutral sites. The four winners will Former USI move into the regular brackets as the used cocaine No. 12 seed in each of the four Saints regionals. |jg| Chemcocks, No'B * Rain played havoc with the top teams in the latest men's and co-rec intramural ^ Softball poll. The No. 1 team in the men's poll, the S.C. i'XiA'MLiW. .^y T)/\rvlrr<t A\t?/\ r?/\rtl/n ( ?1 t\\ tif ?? r? I r? f~\ rl #\ I if .. .J DUU^DIUI C VyilCllltirLIVO V U"V / WC1C 1 auicu wut, as were the No. 2 Exterminators (4-0), the No. 3 Norton's Nookies (5-1) and the No. 5 4 Runnin Rebels (4-1-1). Fourth-ranked CSD Abends defeated the & m Mudsliders 8-3 in the first game of a double .*W header and tied 5-5 in the second to hold or >. l, to their fourth-place spot in the poll. No'Bility (6-0) moved into the No. 1 spot in ^'"v * the co-rec poll despite being rained out. Second-ranked Leviathon (7-1) split a double-header with the third-ranked J School Nice Guys (8-1-1), losing 5-4 anc winning 7-0. The fourth-ranked Absolute Zeros (7-1 i defeated the Muckrakers 14-7 and 11-5. The Dogs maintained their No. 5 ranking bj defeating the MBAs 15-5 and 15-0. Regular-season play continues througl Aug. 1. Teams with a winning percentage o 60 percent or better qualify for the playoffs. 3. Teams making the playoffs should send j efensive tackle awards quite possibly will come his way. The senior from Savannah, Ga., led the team in tackles in 1981 with 157 stops, and his experience and physical stature make him an unofficial overseer of this year's squad. The key to Provence's success may be his dedication in the weight room (where he bench presses 500 pounds), on the playing field and (equally important to him) in the classroom. Provence will graduate in May 1983 with a degree from the College of Journalism in advertising-public relations, completing his degree in four years. As for employment after graduation, Provence probably won't have to look for a job. Professional football teams will probably want his services, and Provence said he'll be more than happy to supply them. "Plavine Dro ball has been a dream of mine for a long time," he said. And oni.e again showing his modesty, he added, "I'll give it my best shot. It would be nice to go high in the draft." ^Ir* .V.v I running back George Rogers has admitted he during his rookie season with tho New Orleans ility top polls representative to a meeting at the Blatt Physical Education Center at 5 p.m. Aug. 2 in Room 110. Playoff competition begins Aug. 3. For daily reports on intramurals, call 777 '.WZ t>. Men's Poll 1. S.C. Bookstore Chemcocks 2. Exterminators 3. Norton's Nookios 4. CSD Abends 5. Runnin' Rebels Co-Rec 1. No'Bility 2. Leviathon 3. J School Nice Guys 4. Absolute Zeros 5. Dogs i _