The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 25

January 10,1996 Page 1C WOMEN'S HOOPS: Auburn INSIDE lakes an easy win over Western Kentucky. PAGE 3C. INVASION: LSU's Eddie Kennison is turning pro a year IV. i 11 I Auto racing Basketball mmmm i I I I I Jim mi 4C 3C College football 4C NFL" 4C early, page 4C. Sports Editor: Ken Patterson, 235-9242 VMJ-L jAU hires James; Bivens stays at AM Bivens respects decision, eyes 1996 schedule in 5 A By Ken Patterson Star Sports Editor Three assistants have left the Auburn staff since the Outback Bowl on Jan.

1 defensive coordinator Wayne Hall, recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach Rodney Garner and linebackers coach Bowden hired Oliver" away from Alabama as defensive coordinator and named himself as recruiting coordinator James returns to Auburn after seven seasons in the NFL and three coaching stops Appalachian State, Birmingham's Woodlawn High and Terrell Middle High in Ga. "There's no place like home and I'm glad to be coming back to Auburn," James said. "I plan to be in Auburn immediately and hit the ground running." Running is something James did quite well at Auburn. He is ninth on the all-time list at Auburn in rushing with 2,068 yards. He ran for 728 yards as he and Bo Jackson led the Tigers to an SEC championship.

"Lionel has little coaching experience, but he is proving to be a great on-the-field coach," Bowden said. James' coach at Auburn, Pat Dye, said: "If he is anywhere close to being as good a coach as he was a player, he will be the best in America." Oxford's Prince to JSU4C fey Ken Patterson Star Sports Editor One of the most popular players in 'Auburn football history is going home. That means Rodney Bivens will return ifox his fifth season as head football xoach at Anniston High. Lionel "Little Train" James was announced late Tuesday as the latest addition to Auburn's staff; he will coach -tight ends for head coach Terry Bow-len. Bivens and James were the lead-Ting two candidates for the tight ends coaching position.

I With James' hiring, this could fill all Ithe slots on Auburn's staff. The only -vacancy still unannounced is the linebackers coach, which could be filled by on staff. 1 Jack Hines, who was Auburn's sec--ondary coach, could move over to Jine-- backers. Bill Oliver, who is now the Timers' defensive coordinator, will likely 'oversee the secondary much like he did I in his role at Alabama. Another scenario heard at the time of Oliver's hiring would bring Clemson's Ellis Johnson to Auburn to coach linebackers.

In either scenario, Oliver would have a strong hand in the hiring of a defensive coach. when he was at Woodlawn. He's a good "I think Bowden is setting himself up for nothing but success. He's not afraid to take risks. He's putting together the best possible staff he can.

'It was a professional move." One Bivens said he would, have liked to have made, but it just wasn't meant to be this time around. "It was a great offer," he said. "I talked to Terry several times and Tommy (Bowden). The interview process went well." Now Bivens' attention is centered squarely on the Bulldogs, and the fact Anniston lost 23 seniors. The Dawgs are moving down from 6A to 5A, "I've been telling our players that this isn't going to be something easy," he said.

"We're not taking the approach that just because we were dominant in 6A means will have success in 5A. At 8:30 this morning, Rodney Bivens was on the phone. He had stayed close to that same phone for the past few days awaiting word from Auburn. This morning he was planning for the 1996 season at Anniston High. "It was between the two of us," Bivens said this morning.

"The two of us" are Bivens and Lionel James. They were the leading candidates to assume the role as Auburn's tight ends coach. This morning, the word was out: James was in. So Bivens was on the phone trying to fill his 1996 Anniston Bulldog football schedule. He lost one game this morning he thought he would get.

Bivens got word from AU head coach Terry Bowden that James had been given the position. "I told him I could respect the de-. cision," Bivens said. "I knew Lionel nf EddtoMotaamw Anniston Sfer Play-calling Weaver coach Mike Deerman calls a play out to his team Tuesday night. The Bearcats defeated Saks, 67-57.

For a complete roundup of Tuesday night's high school action, see page 3C. History favors TMe Earnhardt extends contract -Alabama takes on rival Auburn, lone of the SEC's hottest teams it; '1 By Joe Macenka Associated Press Alabama vs. Auburn WELCOME, N.C. Forget all that talk about The Intimidator becoming The Retiree. Dale Earnhardt's not going anywhere.

"As far as being fired up and wanting to win, the fire's growing biggsr pvery year. ItJhasn't gotten When: Today, 7:30 p.m. Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa. TVRadio: No TV; WDNG 1450-AM, WNUZ 1230-AM, WGAO 1350-AM (Alabama affiliates); WOXR 1580-AM, WKXS 102.9-FM (Auburn affiliates). Records: Alabama Is 7-3, 1-1 SEC.

Auburn is 13-2, 1-1 SEC. Starters: For Alabama Marvin Orange, Marco Whitfield, Roy Rogers, Eric Washington, Anthony Brown. For Auburn Wes Flanigan, Lance Weems, Pat Burke, Ray Donald, Franklin Williams. it Xrv Auburn women win3C By Phillip Tutor Star Sports Writer TUSCALOOSA Beat Ala-Z bama or you're gone? Cliff Ellis says he's never received such an ultimatum, not at his hiring, and certainly not during Auburn's re-: cent success. I But Ellis, in his second year as Auburn's head coach, can't sugar-coat the Tigers' history against their in-state rivals.

The numbers are too brutal too hide. Of the schools' last 18 meet-' ings, the Crimson Tide has won 16 times. Auburn hasn't won in Tus-l caloosa since 1984 back when I former Tiger Charles Barkley was known more for his pudgy weight than his NBA prowess. Yet now, with Auburn 1 3-2, 1-; 1) holding the Southeastern Con- ference's best overall record and poised to enter the Top 25 rank-; ings, it would seem a perfect time for Ellis to hear such talk. Beat Alabama tonight here at Coleman Coliseum Crush the struggling Tide (7-3, 1-1).

You're an Auburn coach. It's I your duty. But Ellis says that's not the case. Beat Alabama? Yeah, he wants to. He just hasn't had it put to him in such terms.

"When we got the job," Ellis said, "I think the big thing people said was. 'I hope you can survive See Tide3C any Earnhardt said lues-day in announcing he has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him driving on the Winston Cup circuit through 2000. Several factors had combined to fuel talk that Earnhardt might be thinking about making a transition soon from a Winston Cup driver to a car owner in the series. For starters, there was the matter of his contract with Welcome-based Richard Childress Racing. It was set to expire at the end of the 1996 season.

Then there was the museum, gift shop and racing complex Earnhardt is building in Moores-ville. Part of the facility is being constructed to house a race team. And there also was the chang-ing-of-the-guard scenario. Earnhardt, who turns 45 in April, had to share much of the spotlight last year with strong performances from several young drivers, including 24-year-old Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon. On Tuesday, however, Earnhardt said he concedes nothing to the next generation of drivers and that he still has a strong desire to compete and win a record eighth The Tide has won 69 of the 110 meetings with Auburn.

won 30 of 35 games against Auburn in Tuscaloosa. won five straight against Auburn. The Tigers have won 13 games this season, more than any other SEC team. lost 16 of their last 18 games against Alabama. not won in Tuscaloosa since 1984.

1C FIX Photo Alabama's Eric Washington, left, guards Auburn's Ray Donald in a meeting between See Eamhardt4C the two schools last season. Auburn plays at Aiaoama lomgnu vjsu men's and women's basketball The pressure's on for NFL's best 4 teams Jacksonville State's Posey earns reward for hard work When: The JSU women play Campbell Thursday at 5 p.m. and the men face College of Charleston at 7:30. By Thomas George New York Times Where: Both games are at Pete Mathews Coliseum, Jacksonville. By Steve Salazar Star Sports Writer Tickets: reserved seats $6.

general admission $3 at the door or call yNFL Playoffs Sunday's title games AFC Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steel-ers. 1 1 :30 a.m. on WVTM-1 3. NFC Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cow-boys, 3 p.m. onWNAL-44.

Radio: Both games can be heard on WUS91.9-FM. Starters: For Jax State women Cindy Thaxton. Shneka Whaley, Al-fredia Seals, LaShell Humphrey, Lori Breedlove. For Jax Stale men Shane James, Aaron Kelly, Rusty Brand, Tracy Posey, Edward Coleman. College of Charleston Jermel President, Anthony Johnson, Thad-deous Delaney, Rodney Conner, Stacy Harris.

last two seasons, a compliance period filled with lesser competition. "I enjoyed beating those teams," he said, "but then again we wanted to beat quality teams." The Gamecocks have that chance this year. And in pursuit of that goal, they named Posey team co-captain. "They elected him co-captain out of respect for his work habit," Jones said. "Evryone can count on Tracy to do his part." Posey, who said this year has been the highlight of his career, knows the postseason is a longshot for these Gamecocks.

As new members, they cannot play in the conference tournament nor receive an automatic NCAA bid for seven years. Yet, Posey also knows hard work can still pay off. "It's tough because you always want to play for something," he said. "So we'll try to win the regular season conference title." NOTE: The scheduled home is the consistency with which he applies it. "Ever since he stepped foot on campus," Jones said, "he's been the kind of player coaches search for that's one that's consistent night in, night out." Some things you can just depend on.

With the reliabilty of a mailman, Posey will deliver around 12 points and seven rebounds every game. This year, the 6-foot-6 native of Vincent, Alabama stands at 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds. As a freshman, it was 1 1.8 and 6.8. When he put those numbers up in 1992-93, he helped Jacksonville State reach the championship of the Gamecocks' final Gulf South Conference tournament. "For me that was our team's reward for working hard," Posey said.

"It was something to look forward to." The Gamecock forward had to look ahead to this season's challenges as he worked through the KANSAS CITY, Mo. Twenty-six National Football League teams are down; four are up. Twenty-six are extinct; four are alive. That is what the conference championship games give us a quartet full of aplomb, a quartet of survivors, a quartet of the fittest. Many NFL coaches and players will tell you that this week and these games are the most intense, the most scary, the most nerve-racking of the season.

Once you are in the Super Bowl, you tend to enjoy it. You enjoy the week of hype and hoopla, and you realize, regardless of the game's outcome, that you have reached the pinnacle of the sport. But being one game' away, battling in the conference championship games, provides untold pres- JACKSONVILLE Work hard and you shall be rewarded. It is a simple philosophy, proven true over time. But in this era of easy money, it seems to have gone the way of the peach basket and two-handed set shot.

And then you run across players like Jacksonville State's Tracy Posey. "He's one of the hardest working players I've ever had," said Gamecock head coach Bill Jones, who's seen his share in 24 years of coaching. The only four-year starter on this year's squad, Posey will approach Thursday's Trans America Athletic Conference game against the College of Charleston with the same effort that earned him playing time as. a freshman in the Gulf South Conference. The only feature comparable to Posey's work ethic sure.

You think Miami and Buffalo and San Diego and Kansas City and Atlanta and Detroit and San Francisco and Philadelphia are going through withdrawal now? Just imagine what the loser in Sunday's championships Indianapolis at Pittsburgh in the American Conference and Green Bay at Dallas in the National Conference will experience. It is like standing on the edge of a cliff and taking a leap. For two teams, the parachute will fail. game with Alabama State, which was postponed on 5, 1995, has been rescheduled for Feb. 26 at JSU.

Lady Gamecocks The Jacksonville State Lady Gamecocks also had to do some resheduling lately. The Blizzard of SeePosey3C.