The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 04, 1998, Page Page 7, Image 7

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AFC, Bron 1 SHAWN SINGLETON ] "All I know is pain. All I feel is rain. How can I maintain With that (expletive) on my brain." t\x rv ? DiVlA I was nursing a Bourbon and Coke earlier this week when these thoughts crossed my mind: "Why am I here? How do I keep putting out meaningful sports columns every week? When do I stop this insanity?" The answer is simple. I do this because I love sports. I am a fan before I am a writer. Thus, I write from a fan's point of view. Now for those who think I have become a sentimental old fool, you've obviously forgotten who's writing this column, and I suggest you rent 'Titanic." For the rest of you, here is my AFC preview. Signal callers are the main concern in the AFC East. Can Dan Marino stop approving home equity loans long enough to push his Dolphins to the top? Can the former Laker center skyhook his way to some rushing touchdowns or will it be John Avery's turn to light up the scoreboard? In New York, the chant is J-E-TS, JETS, JETS, JETS, but how long will they be cheering if Bill Parcells Sources repor Katzenmoyer college press EXCHANGE Sources within the Ohio State athletic department are reporting that AilAmerican linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer will be academically eligible to play for Ohio State's football team this season. An official announcement was expected to be made Thursday, according to athletics director Andy Geiger. Katzenmoyer, last season's Butkus and Lombard! awards winner, is also being touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate. It is also being reported that Buckeyes second-team all-conference left guard Rob Murphy will be academically eligible to play. Cl WONDEf I CTHIS MEHL'S CrONNB ( 11^1 SHOULD1 VE CrONE T r/\ ~ Call WellnessWork? WellnessWorks table i Wedne< # Form a team of All you have to ovprr i<;p for a rr fv Keep track of vol L registration packet |k There will be Week] to the team wit Walking Work Hurry The cos looks I keeps alternating between Glenn Foley and Vinny Testaverde? The addition of Curtis Martin will help the running game immensely. Note to Bill: read Keyshawn Johnson's book and throw him the damn ball. As for Bill and Curtis' former team, the New England Patriots, Drew Bledsoe needs all the rushing help he can get if he doesn't want to get the Steve Young concussion syndrome. If Robert Williams and Sedrick Shaw have good seasons, expect opposing defenses to see more Patriot missiles than Saddam Hussein. Tn wpctpm Npw Ynrlr fVip RnfFa lo Bills are starting a new era. They invested $25 million on Rob Johnson on his strength in one game last season. Will this gamble work or will they be stuck with a $25 million bust for five years? How will Peyton Manning pan out in Indianapolis? He could pan out to be Terry Bradshaw or end up being Heath Shuler. Only time will tell. The AFC Central is a two-horse race. Jacksonville and Pittsburgh will battle each other for the crown. The Tennessee Oilers will have to battle poor crowds and a suspect defense, but the offense will light up the scoreboard. Baltimore has beefed up its defense but lost some major weapons offensively, and the only thing worse than Jeff Blake in Cincinnati is Neil ting Ohio Stat* will be acader There is still a question as tc whether All-Big Ten safety strong safe ty Damon Moore will be academically eligible. His status is in doubt. However, Geiger told the Associat ed Press Wednesday night that the re ports regarding the three were prema ture. Katzenmoyer, Murphy and Moon have been three-year starters for th< Buckeyes. Katzenmoyer is a junior Murphy and Moore are seniors anc Murphy is the team s most expenencec lineman. All are sociology majors. Katzenmoyer needed to meet i 2.0 grade-point average by passing sum mer classes in music appreciation, be ginner golf and AIDS awareness. \ If He likes Me?) :ost me?^ O ^ o mi. J i rece _ 1 USC Faculty, Staff, and Students are invited to join the 3rd Annual Walking Works Program [i How Do You Participate ; at 777-6518 to register or :rom 10:00 am - 3:00 pm d ;day, Sept. 16th. (Russell H 4 people. A team captain r rlr> in nnmn nn \A/lth 1 rifr uw 13 \j_ui mc up Willi a van linimum of 20 minutes a d. jr exercise activity on a loe . Team logs need to be tur y Prize Drawings and a Gj h the most points at the en ;s starts September 20th and ei > last day to register is Friday, * for repeat ODonnell. Thank God for Corey Dillon. If the divine master plan is perfection, it hasn't been done since 1972. Maybe next I'll give Denver a try next. The defending champs are back, and now that John Elway has finally taken a sip from a championship cup, he wants another drink. Kansas City has vowed to pass the ball more this season. Marty Schottenheimer will try anything to improve his 5-11 career playoff record. Watch out for the Seahawks this season. The addition of Rickv Watters will rive Warren Moon infinite possibilities on offense. Not even Charles Woodson can help Oakland's defense, which finished dead last in total defense even though they were second in total offense. Finally, Bobby Beathard sold the farm to pick Ryan Leaf in the first round. Who will Leaf throw the ball to now that Tony Martin is no longer in San Diego? What the rest of the Chargers do this season will be the key to respectability. I will not make any Super Bowl picks because there are too many possibilities this season. Instead Fve profiled the teams and left it up to you, to decide. After watching many people lose their shirts betting on Green Bay last season, the safest pick is none at all. s linebacker nically eligible ) In an ironic twist, junior Chris Kirk, the player expected to step in if Katzen' moyer failed, has been declared acad: pmirallv inplicrihlp The news was "a total shock," Kirk said Wednesday. His problem stems from a failure to satisfy a Big Ten rule that requires a certain number of hours of credit in cera tified courses of one's major. The snaj fu was discovered when Kirk tried to j switch majors. Top-ranked Ohio State will open its t season on the road against No. 12 West - Virginia this Saturday. Coach John - Cooper indicated each will start if they are eligible. lew donors can earn lip to $215 jer month! lours of your time could earn ou up to $65 in one week! children, hemophiliacs and heart patients who Ive products made from the plasma of our donors. XT^^^T iN/\m? The Quality Source NABI BioMedical Center !15 Assembly St., Columbia SC 29201 254-2280 Come Walk With Us! join the Walking Works Program Today! e? you can register at the l *l_ _ I I?~uu r luring me nedim expo un ouse Patio) nust be designated, hy team name and ay, 3 times a week. ; sheet found in your ned in for each week. and Prize will be given d of the 5th week! nds October 24th. ieptember 18th! The college 0: The number of victories for Rutgers, Illinois and Northern Illinois in 1997. 1: As in No. 1. This season, thanks to the Bowl Championship Series that includes all Division I-A teams, there should be no disputing who finishes as the national champion. 2: The victories Penn State coach Joe Paterno needs to reach 300. With two more victories, Paterno will hprnmp thp sixth roach to total 300 or more and will become the only active Division I coach to reach that plateau. 5th: Where Texas senior running back Ricky Williams finished in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season. He is the leading returning votegetter and an early favorite to bring home the award. 8: The number of Division I-A independents, teams not affiliated with a conference. There were 15 independents in 1992. 12: Number of coaching changes in Division I-A this season. 14: The nation's longest winning streak entering the season held by Nebraska, the defending national champion. Nate USC Sports Editor 0-0 B.J. USC Editorial Assistant 0-0 Sean Rayford USC Sports Photo Editor 0-0 Kelly Maguire USC Senior Writer 0-0 Laura Bokesch USC Guest Picker 0-0 season by ti 15: Consecutive games with at least 200 yards passing by UCLA senior quarterback Cade McNown. 17: Number of Kentucky records tied or set last season by junior quarterback Tim Couch. 18: The nation's longest losing streak (Northern Illinois) entering the season. 18: Consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference games Duke has lost. That ties the conference record. The Blue Devils open ACC play against Florida State on Sept. 19. ;? ? 18: Consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference games Florida State has won. 26: Years since Southern California's most recent undisputed national championship in 1972. sgT "*J* 27: Consecutive seasons without a winning record for Oregon State. The Beavers' most recent winning season was 1970, when they were 6-5. 29: Years since Texas won its. most recent national championship (1969). 32: Number of victories (with four losses') by the Southeastern Conference against nonconference opponents in 1997. 38: Combined number of conference victories by Arkansas and South CaroliTennessee Michigan Syracuse Michigan Tennessee Michigan Tennessee Michigan Tennessee Michigan !MSI ^"V ^ ; - ' C If**** fc 1 | a he numbers na since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1992. The teams' combined winning percentage is .400 (38-55-2 total in wins, losses and ties). 95: The combined number of points Big East Conference teams were outscored by in four bowl games last season. Big East bowl foes scored 153 points while allowing 58. 103: Ifee number of receptions by Kent's Eugene Baker, who led Division I-A in pass receptions and returns this season. 289: The number of yards Texas senior running back Ricky Williams needs to break Earl Campbell's career record of 4,443 yards rushing. 359.78: Yards per game in total offense averaged by Louisiana Tech quarterback Tim Rattay last season. He's a senior this season. 405: Yards Louisiana Tech wide receiver Troy Edwards went for against Nebraska Saturday. Tim Rattay is his quarterback. 28,107: Average listed capacities of the six Big West Conference schools. 65,857: Average attendance home for the 12-team Southeastern Conference. pulled from, The College Press Exchange Ohio St. Penn St: Ohio St. So. Miss Ohio St. Penn St. Ohio St. Penn St. Ohio St. Penn St. M m j 81 * KHAKIS Wk www.duckhead.com (ffffi