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Former USC pun Bv Andrew Miller A Doing something one loves is great, but getting paid to do it is "out-of-this world." At least former USC punter Chris Norman believes so, saying his professional football career is the best thing that's ever hnnnened to him. "Punting and playing football is something I've done since the sixth grade," Norman said yesterday in an interview from Denv . "1 love to play football, and it's even better if you get paid .or doing it. "TO TELL you the truth I'd do it for free, but dont't tell the Broncos." Last May Norman, an horable mention All-American last season, signed a two-year contract with the National Football League's Denver Broncos as a free agent. "For me it was a dream come true," Norman said. "I thought that I could always make it in the pros. I mean if I didn't think I could make a living at it, 1 wouldn't have keep at it. "I've alwavs felt that if ! kirkpfi thp hall thp wav I wac capable of, I knew I could make it in the NFL." THE NFL wasn't the only way Norman could have made a living in professional sports. He was also drafted by baseball's Cleveland Indians of the American League. li "At the time 1 had already signed to play football," he said. I played tootball because 1 thought it was my best ? -ance to play immediately. "Anyway, I was having problems with my arm, and I like football a lot better. ^c^MP IPW^I ^7 pflH^B 1HH|^HI W"^ |i:;'>j*'7r Iaik A SPECL ARMOUR.-"* a GREE Friday, Sept? T-SHIRTS. POJ iter enjoys profe: % ball, and it's even bet ter it you get paid tor doing it I'd do it for free, but don't tell the Broncos." ? Former USC punter Chris Norman v ..JHMHHHHPC1 Norman holds school records for most career punts with 261, highest career averge per punt with 40.9 average, and for a season with a 43.2 average. Norman also holds the National Collegiate Athletic Association mark for a game average, 58.3, with his longest punt being 80 yards. f TRANSITION BETWEEN playing college football and pro-football has been an easy one for Norman. "As far as playing goes, there isn't really any difference between the two," he said. "I go about practice and getting ready for games just the same as I did at Carolina. I haven't changed anything in my routine." A complaint of professional football is the business-like at titude the players have. Norman said this is a misconception ot the fans. In fact Norman said it's the fans who have the lackadaisical attitude. ' ' illPHnHHHnBiSHRB CINEMATIC ARTS PRESENTS AL MOVIE PREMIERE PARTY N STRF.KT AT RTISSRI ,L HOI JSE smber 21,1984 7:00PM FREE STERS, SCREENING PASSES, HOT DOGS! | ssional career "The guys on the team are pumped up," he said. They just don't show it as much on the field as DeoDle would like. I GET up just as much for pro games as 1 did when I played at Carolina," he said. "It's the crowd that doesn't get into the games at times. They're the ones who aren't enthusiastic." "I wasn't that nervous in my first game," he said. "It was the same as punting in college." Norman said the NFL has been nearly everything he thought it would be. "There haven't been too many surprises for me so far," he said. "It's a great league to play in. Everyone is really triendly." PLAYING WITH and against the players Norman has watched on television has been an exciting experience for him he said. "Watching these guvs Dlav from the sidelines is a lot dif ferent than watching them from the stands or on TV," he said. "In preseason I played against Ray Guy," he said. "He's been the prototype of what a great punter is. It was really a thrill for me." Guy wasn't the most exciting player Norman has come up against. "A COUPLE of weeks ago we played the (Chicago) Bears," he said. "I saw Walter Payton run, and he was outstanding. In my opinion he's the best back in the NFL. "The whole thing was pretty exciting, but I wish he wouldn't have done so well." In three games as a professional Norman has punted 22 times for 855 yards for a 38.9 yard average to rank him 10th overall in the American Conference. liiiiiitiiiiiiiii - | | Black Spirit Rag Black Spirit Cushion I j ^2 00 $3.47 ; i jewelry warehouse ' i "GAMECOCK HEADQUARTERS" |j %J\T MAIN AT BLOSSOM ACROSS FROM HONEYCOMBS J i n> n iii w ?-rt nr -i i " T ? i , STUDENT ORGANIZATION LICENSE FORMS I WIVfiT RV! TimWRII ATAVI9A WM A VAiiAlMAF 1 INTO STUDENT ACTIVITIES CENTER 5 PM TODAY 7-5780.1 "#s'S?35?^^? ? *llSi j Contact Lenses I Daily Wear -$69.56? $49.50 U Extended Wear $99.95?- $79.95 [f| Tinted Soft Lenses-$*29:95-^ $99.95 j| ?MUST BRING THIS AD OR STUDENT I.D.? H 'Ltn??? Only ij m I | D | fV| fed 'Do*? nol include ?y* cxapi ~ *"* " '" |""tw tXMKtb 10M5,M % Of B ^ I -gswr VIS RUN I M1lvt?lZt?n. rCMTCDC I R j 798-2290 Ll^ B L IVl!9 B