Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 13

The Indiana Gazette SPORTS 45 2019. Wide receiver Hines Ward (86), shown in this 2002 photo, posed another challenge to his Steelers teammates. (Gazette file photo) Ward remains optimistic By ALAN ROBINSON AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH With a 2-6 record and a five-game losing streak, it might seem that the playoffs would be the furthest thing from the Pittsburgh Steelers' minds. They've won only once in seven games, and even coach Bill Cowher is running out of ways to explain how a team that won 25 games over the last two seasons can keep losing. As guard-turned -tackle Alan Faneca said, "Two-and-six? You expected it to be the other way around." Despite all that's going wrong with a team that seems to be in disarray, wide receiver Hines Ward said Monday that he's optimistic that the Steelers can turn their season around and can win the AFC North.

"He said it with a straight face, too. "I like our chances," Ward said. "Let's just win one game." Such talk might seem outlandish given how this is fast becoming one of the most discouraging and -to-explain years in the Steelers' 71-season history. Their 2 2-6 start matches those of the 1986 and 1988 seasons as their worst in 34 years. The long-dependable running game is one of the NFL's worst.

Tommy Maddox has only briefly resembled the gambling playmaker who repeatedly led comeback victories last season. The defense has played in fits and spurts, not allowing a lot of yardage but giving up plenty of points. The Steelers' only consolation is, in a division where a :500 record might be good enough to secure a championship, it can be argued that no lead is safe with half a season left to play. The Ravens (5-3) lead them by three games following the Steelers' 23- 16 loss Sunday at Seattle and Baltimore's 24-17 decision at home over Jacksonville. "We carne into this year with high expectations and, unfortunately, things aren't going the way we would all like them to," Ward said.

"But, just watching the (Seahawks) film, a lot of guys busted their tails. That's the good thing. Nobody quit. Nobody gave up. That's very encouraging." What gives Ward room for optimism is the Steelers' less-thanoverwhelming second-half schedule.

Their remaining eight opponents are a combined 23- 44, with only the Ravens above .500. Even with the Steelers stuck in a losing streak that ties as their second-longest in Cowher's 12 seasons as coach, they likely will be favored in their remaining home games, against the Ari- zona Cardinals (3-5), Cincinnati Bengals (3-5), Oakland Raiders (2-6) and San Diego Chargers (1- 7). On the road, they play the 49ers (4-5), Browns (3-5), Jets (2- 6) and Ravens. "Let's just win one," Ward said. "Everybody's talking about if we can pull off eight in a row.

I mean, we've got Arizona coming in at home Sunday and we need to win at home." The Ravens' second-half schedule appears to be much tougher, with each of their next three games against teams that have winning records. Baltimore plays at St. Louis (5-3) and Miami (5-3), followed by a threegame homestand against the Seahawks (6-2), 49ers and Bengals. 'The Ravens finish up with the Raiders and Browns on the road and the Steelers at home. Still, Ward isn't downplaying the significance of the challenge that confronts the Steelers, especially since they must win six of eight just to finish .500.

If they don't, it seems almost inevitable that they would sit out the playoffs for the fourth time in six years. "Coach Cowher's been through it," Ward said. "He just doesn't want guys to give up. We have eight games left. Looking on the board, we like our chances.

We just have to find a way to get out of this BCS battle heats up for second spot By TONY BARNHART Cox News Service ATLANTA After watching Oklahoma dominate Oklahoma State 52-9 Saturday, there appears to be no debate about who has the nation's No. 1 college football team. But between now and Dec. 7, when the final BCS rankings are released, there is going to be a lot of heated discussion about who's No. 2.

That team will get the other berth in the national championship game at the Sugar Bowl and, thanks to Miami's 31-7 lass to Virginia Tech Saturday night, there are six teams with one loss who'll lay claim to that No. 2 spot if they win out. Only one can go and the BCS formula, a combination of regular polls, computer polls, strength of schedule, and wonloss record, will have to make the decision. In short, a month from now only two schools are going to be happy with the way college football picks its national championship game. As expected, Oklahoma and Southern California (8-1) were 1-2 when the new Pitt has chance to land berth BCS standings were released on Monday.

Florida State (8-1) was No. 3 followed by Miami (7-1), Ohio State (7-1), Virginia Tech (7-1) and LSU (8-1). Georgia (7-2), No. 5 in the standings last week, would be very much in the mix had it found a way to beat Florida Saturday. After the 16-13 loss, Georgia dropped to No.

10 and is out of the national championship picture. Here is a quick rundown of the oneloss teams and the chances of each to make it to the Sugar Bowl Southern California. The Trojans, whose only loss was to California, not only hold the No. 2 spot in the BCS but also in the both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. Unless they lose one of their final three garnes or play poorly and drop in the conventional polls, the men of Troy will be in the Sugar Bowl.

No. 3 Florida State. The Seminoles trail USC by a full point in schedule strength and by a full point in the reguJar polls. Their best chance is to win out, which would include a win over an improving team from Florida, and for both USC and Miami to lose. Miami.

Miami was hurt badly by its loss to Virginia Tech as it dropped from No. 2 in both polls to 6 (AP) and 7 (Coaches). The Hurricanes have a chance if they can get back to No. 3 in the regular polls and if Florida State wins out. That would give Miami at least 0.9 in bonus points for beating Florida State on Oct.

11. Ohio State. The Buckeyes have the toughest road ahead as they must play Michigan State, Purdue, and Michigan. Still, they need some teams above them to lose to get a chance at defending their national championship. Virginia Tech.

A weak non-conference schedule (UCF, James Madison, Texas Connecticut) is catching gup to the Hokies, whose computer average is 6.17. And they still have to play Temple (1-7). The longest of the long shots. LSU. Ditto for the Tigers (7.50 com.puter average), who have looked very strong except for a home loss to Florida.

LSU's non-conference opponents are Louisiana-Monroe (1-8), Arizona (1-8), Division I-AA Western Illinois (6-3) and Louisiana Tech (4-5). By ALAN ROBINSON Virginia Tech at Pitt, AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH Only one Big East Saturday, 7:45 p.m. team is assured of going to a BCS bowl and winning the conference title if it wins the rest of its games. It's not No. 5 Virginia Tech.

It's not No. 6 Miami. It's not even unranked West Virginia, which upset the Hokies and led the Hurricanes in Miami until the final minute of the game. It's No. 25 Pittsburgh yes, the same team whose season seemed to be unraveling following puzzling and, at the time, demoralizing losses to Toledo and Notre Dame.

The Panthers (6-2, 3-0 in Big East) go into Saturday night's game against Virginia Tech (7-1, 3-1) not just as the conference's only remaining unbeaten but with home-field advantage Stingers honor cross country team. Page 18. Classifieds inside November 4, 2003 Tuesday, Steve Wilstein Sports can aid healing process Amid the daily horrors in Iraq, the complaints of a soccer coach that the U.S.-led coalition isn't giving enough support to Iraq's national team seem trivial in the extreme. Hardly a day passes in Iraq when there aren't ambushes or suicide bombings. A guerrilla attack on an Army helicopter killed 1 16 Americans and wounded 20 on Sunday.

Another soldier was killed in a bomb explosion Monday and a blast near a Shiite Muslim shrine killed at least one person. The grim tolls of war go on inexorably. Consider, then, the criticism of Iraq's national soccer coach, Bernd Stange: "In a country without any working cinemas or theaters, where people are afraid to go out at night, the successes of our team are a matter of huge national pride," Stange told The Associated Press in Baghdad. "That's important for the return of normalcy. Doesn't the coalition, doesn't Paul Bremer understand this?" Stange went on to growl indignantly that Bremer, Iraq's chief U.S.

administrator, had not called to congratulate the players after they qualified for the Asia Cup in China next June. As admirable as Stange's zeal for his sport may be, Bremer has a lot more on his mind than soccer. Keeping the electricity going, feeding people, trying to stop the killing are a tad higher on his priority list. Yet Stange makes a valid point that Bremer, when he has a moment, might do well to heed: In times of chaos, sports can lend a needed sense of Americans learned that after the Sept. 11,2001, attacks.

Was there a more poignant scene symbolizing the national recovery than President Bush throwing out the first pitch at the World Series in Yankee Stadium? There was no heroism or great significance in Bush's strike, as there were in the efforts of thousands of firefighters, police and volunteers after the attacks. But that pitch and those games helped reassure millions of Americans that, even in the face of terrorism, life could resume with a semblance of normalcy. Iraqis need all the reassurance they can get from the Americans and other coalition forces that no matter how hazardous life is now, there is hope that it will get better. For soccer-loving Iraqis, there may be no more potent symbol of that than the rise of their national team from the ashes of war and the legacy of tortured players by one of Saddam Hussein's late sons. For Bremer and the coalition trying to calm things down in Iraq, there may be no easier and economical way of building goodwill than to show support for the soccer team symbolically with congratulatory calls and praise, and financially with a relatively tiny amount of funds.

It might also help to bridge the cultural divide between the Americans and Iraqis that has hindered the rebuilding of the country. Stange, a German who used to coach East Germany and Australia's Perth Glory, is in Baghdad to do his unless he makes good on his threat to quit if authorities don't help with aid to prepare for the Asia Cup. He took over the team last year, stayed away from the country during the U.S.-led invasion that ended in May with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and returned to Baghdad soon afterward. "I came here and found nothing -no balls, no nets, no funds, no competitions and no players," he said. "The main stadium had been turned into a parking lot for American tanks and its turf (was) destroyed." Stange cobbled together a team for the Asia Cup qualifying, and a month ago those resolute players beat Bahrain 5-1 in Malaysia in their first game, then Myanmar 3-0.

"We started from zero and we had three months to prepare for the qualifiers, but we did it," Stange said. "We came ahead in our group of teams that had spent millions to get to China." The funding the Iraqis got for equipment, training and travel came from FIFA, soccer's ruling body, and the Asian Football Confederation. They are also helping to rebuild the national stadium and federation headquarters destroyed in the war. The German Football Union paid for his team to train in Germany. Stange dreams of leading his team to the World Cup in Germany in 2006 "as a symbol of the new Iraq." Continued on page 18 Page 13 Lemieux likely out tonight By The Associated Press CANONSBURG hip injury ous as the much of the Pittsburgh won't play Lemieux the strained has bothered coach Eddie Mario Lemieux's doesn't appear to be as serione that sidelined him for 2001-02 season, though the Penguins' star probably tonight in Toronto.

wasn't talking Monday: about muscle in his left hip that him for about 10 days, and Olczyk also said litle about it. However, the injury that caused Lemieux to miss 54 games and required surgery two years ago was to his right hip. This injury is to his left hip and does not appear to affect his skating nearly as much as the previous injury. Lemieux was al LEMIEUX practice Monday, LEMIEUX Cardinals at Steelers When: Kickoff: 1 p.m. Radio: WQMU.

TV: WWCP. NFL INSIDE Browns suspend Green. Falcons heat over show Cardinals has right stuff. MONDAY 30 26 Patriots rebound. Stories on page 17.

and a sold-out stadium assured for its two biggest remaining games. Both the Hokies and Hurricanes (Nov. 29) must travel to Pittsburgh. Still, coach Walt Harris wasn't ready Monday to discuss the possibilities that await his Panthers if they can win their remaining four games. They also play at Temple (1-7, 0-3) and West Virginia (4-4, 2-1).

"As a coach, just want us to be playing well," said Harris, whose team has beaten Rutgers, Syracuse and Boston College since losing to Notre Dame. "I want us to be improving. I don't want us to take steps backward." Continued on page 17 but didn't take the ice as he got treatment. He appeared to be walking without significant pain despite having a wrap on his left thigh. Lemieux said nothing about the injury before leaving Saturday's 3-2 overtime victory over Boston after one period, but Olczyk said the hip has been sore for a while.

"I asked him how he was feeling one day and that's what he told me," Olczyk said. Until now, Lemieux had said only that he was in his best shape physically in years following the most extensive offseason conditioning program of his career. Lemieux's injury comes just as the Penguins, unbeaten in their last three games, begin a five-game road trip that winds up next week against the New York Rangers and Buffalo. Despite scoring only one goal in 19 games dating to last season, the worst such stretch of his career, Lemieux has a team-high nine points. He also had scored a point in eight consecutive games until Saturday, along the way becoming only the sixth player in NHL history to reach the mark when he got an assist Wednesday against the Islanders.

"Mario is Mario," rookie goalie MarcAndre Fleury said Monday. "He's a huge part of the tearn." Lemieux said Saturday night at a charity function, several hours after leaving the Bruins' game, that he hoped to play Friday at Florida or Saturday at Tampa Bay. The Penguins (3-4-3) go into the road trip playing better than expected despite being under .500, mostly because the 18-year-old Fleury has been far better than even they could have projected. The NHL's No. 1 draft pick's .942 save percentage is tops among starting goalies, and he has a winning record (3- 2-2) despite playing on what is widely seen as the league's most talent-thin team.

As evidence of that, the muchtraveled Mike Eastwood will move onto the Penguins' top line if Lemicux can't play tonight. Fleury has yet to be officially designated as the starter, but he clearly is for now. Tonight's game will be his fourth consecutive start, a span in which his play has ranged from merely solid to a level that matches any goalie in the game. "I wasn't sure if I would make team at first," Fleury said. "Then I thought maybe I would sit and watch.

I'm happy I'm playing; every game is a chance for me to play in the NHL, and that's exciting." Fleury spent Monday's practice breaking in a new set of gold pads that match the Penguins' color scheme. But don't look for him to stop wearing, at least for now, the bright yellow pads he has worn since his first game. "For sure, I won't change anything right now," Fleury said. BIG DEAL Rod Rutherford and the Pitt Panthers can virtually clinch the Big East title Saturday. (AP photo) The Phillies acquired closer Billy Wagner from the Astros Monday.

Story on page 15. (AP photo).