The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 16

C2 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1998 jets Lox says he was blackballed by league I TP-' -t-V'' i I Associated Press New York Jets linebacker Bryan Cox was frustrated that it took two months to find a job after being cut by the Chicago Bears. Cox, who was signed by the Jets on Saturday, said Monday he had been close to signing agreements in the past few weeks, only to see them fall through at the last minute. "I all but had deals on the table with two or three MPT teams, and the day Mj I was supposed to NOTEBOOK leave to sign, my agent called me back and said the deal was off," said Cox, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. "I was getting blackballed." Jets coach Bill Parcells, however, was quick to recruit Cox after the club's star middle linebacker, Marvin Jones, tore ligaments in his left knee last Friday during morning workouts. Jones, a former first-round draft selection, will have season-ending surgery this week.

The slate is clean as far as I'm concerned," Parcells said of Cox, who has been fined more than $100,000 for violent outbursts ing his career. i Singletary and Spellman prayed together that afternoon at the house for nearly an hour. Spellman settled down. He was taken to Good Shepherd Hospital imBar-rington. 111., but a day later, barreled through three doors and out an exit, TV cameras catching the sorry spectacle of a bare-chested Spellman trying to flag down motorists on the side of 111.

22. After allowing authorities to peacefully secure him, Spellman was transferred to a downtown hospital, where he stayed lor just more than a week before obtaining his release. Spellman's troubles continued in May, when he didn't show for Bears' minicamp, then was involved in an incident at Detroit's Westln Hotel, where he reserved four rooms to host a Two women in his group began to fight. Trying to break it up, Spellman became entangled with a security guard, whom he slammed against a car, and over its hood, the Wayne County police report said. Police subdued Spellman with pepper spray.

Waldon, an said Spellman was just protecting himself after security officers pounced on him. Spellman wasn't charged, but he was in Royal Oak, Mich. last month, after he was pulled over in his 1998 Chevrolet Suburban for erratic driving. State troopers found a .357 semiautomatic and a nearly empty bottle of Booncs Farm wine, the police report Spellman is awaiting arraignment on a felony weapons charge and a misdemeanor charge for the open container of alcohol. The Royal Oak incident tame two weeks after the Bears; released Spellman, a move the club- made the day of the Bulls' final home playoff game.

Wannstedt -said the Bears tried to reach Spellmai) beforehand. "We called his agent, his mother and his publicist," Wannstedt eaid. "We needed to talk." When the Bears heard nothing back, Spellman was on his way out. The release from the Bears cost Spellman about $4 million, the divorce from his wife was expensive, as well. It would not be difficult, given recent turns in his life, to write Spellman off as one more bad-egg, athlete, a musclebound miscreant.

But the story is much more complicated than that. Said Steinberg, "Emotionally healthy, Alonzo Spellman is a man who has a tremendous amount to offer the world. It's difficult- and puzzling situation, but it's 1998. We're not in medieval In SPclILlAI Continued from Page 1 Nancy Mitchell is Spellnian's long-time publicist and a person active in his foundation for inner-city children in Chicago. "I am scared to death for him," Mitchell said.

"If I said anything else, I'd be a fool." Several people close to Spellman say he is both out of touch with reality, and literally out of reach. With teams making inquiries, Spellman has not talked to Steinberg since April. Neither has Sin-gletary spoken to Spellman. Mitchell is rarely sure where he is. He apparently has had no ongoing treatment or medication since the incident in Tower Lakes, 111., where he had the standoff after holing up in Mitchell's house.

A friend of Spellman's who requested anonymity believes he's grappling not only with depression and chemical imbalance, but paranoia as well. Said the friend: "He's so deep in a hole right now he cannot get himself out. It's just a spiral down." The scariest moment might have come March 9, a day when snow fell hard and Spellman, upset that a league administrator was hours late for a routine steroid test, went ballistic. A week before, Spellman had a major blowup with Dave Wannstedt after the Bears coach told him the team was looking to trade him. Spellman stormed out, and eventually took off for Detroit to see family.

A friend said he was not stable. He partied hard, ran the streets and at one point found himself surrounded by cops after climbing a fence onto private property. Mitchell, Lizzie Spellman and two security guards drove to Detroit to bring him back for his drug test. Then the snafu came, something snapped, and soon Spellman was barricaded in Mitchell's house, telling her he might kill himself. Mitchell lost a son to suicide three years ago.

Spellman was unarmed, but she was not about to treat the threat idly. She called 911. Police cars rolled up. SWAT teams blanketed the yard. Spellman refused to come out.

He threw a few things, but other than that, his violence was only verbal. Hours passed. Neither his wife, his mother, Dorothy, nor anyone could get through to him until Singletary arrived. He heard about the situation from a former teammate. He Jumped in his truck and drove through the snow until he found Mitchell's house.

"I Just saw a person who had been backed up to a wall, like there was no way out but to come out fighting," Singletary said. "He didn't really want to fight, but he just didn't know any alternatives." rvv f. Staff Photo Robert Scheer MAN OF MANY HELMETS: Rookie Aaron Taylor (center) doesn't mind changing from center, where he was during the off-season, to guard, the spot he has been at recently. Colts hope Nebraska rookie keeps jack-of-all-trades image .0 appears set with Jay Leeuwen-burg at center and Tom Myslinski and Tony Mandarich at guards. The need is to develop a competent backup corps.

Jason Johnson is playing well behind Leeu-wenburg, while Steve McKinney is the No. 2 left guard. Taylor and Larry Moore are flip-flopping from guard to center. The more places you can play, the better all of us are," said line coach Howard Mudd. Then people are comfortable and we don't have to strain when a change has to be made." At Nebraska, Taylor started 11 games at guard as a sophomore, moved to center as a junior and was named first-team Ail-American, then returned to guard as a senior and was a repeat first-team All-America choice.

Injuries mount A variety of injuries kept eight players out of Monday afternoon's practice. And nowhere was the pain felt more than at linebacker. Five linebackers were among the walking wounded veteran starter Quentin Coryatt (chest), Sammie Burroughs (shoulder), Scott Von der Ahe (shoulder), Wardell Rouse (ankle) and Whit Marshall (hamstring). Marshall, who had been bothered by a sore hamstring, practiced in the morn "What this does is put some pressure on the young guys. If something happens to Dan or Al, somebody is going to have to step up." Greg Blache Saints receiver arrested New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keith Poole was free on bond Monday, charged with attacking a La Crosse, man with a golf club.

Poole, 24, a 1997 fourth-round draft choice from Arizona State, was released on a $150 cash bond and ordered to appear in La Crosse -County Circuit Court on Aug. 13. After a night off, Poole and team-' mate Jake Delhomme, a second-year quarterback, accepted a ride back to their dormitory from three La Crosse residents at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, according to a police report. Before they reached the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where the Saints are staying for training camp, the two players began yelling obscenities at the driver, who stopped and told them to get out of the car, the report said.

One of the passengers, Timothy Whitewater, 26, of La Crosse, told 1 police that he and Poole then got into an argument outside the car. 1 Poole grabbed a golf club from a bag in the back of the car and struck Whitewater on the left hip several times, causing a two-inch-long gash, Whitewater said. When police arrived, Poole ran several houses toward the campus and was stopped by an of- fleer about two blocks away. Jt Delhomme, who was not charged the incident, refused comment Monday night. Cowboys keeping quiet The Midwestern State University police chief said Monday he in- tends to find out how Dallas Cow- 'boys guard Everett Mclver sus-Etained a deep cut in a school dormitory.

Chief H.G. Evans also expressed frustration at an apparent lack of cooperation by the team, which is saying nothing about last week's training camp incident. Cowboys coach Chan Galley said the injury resulted from "horseplay." The wound, a deep cut to Mclv-er's neck near his carotid artery, was so severe that the fifth-year Veteran missed last week's exhibi- tion game against the Seattle Sea- hawks, and he isn't scheduled to i return to practice until later this week, i I Knee sidelines Seau San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau sat out two practices Monday because of swelling in his right knee. Seau, who had a bone spur re- moved from his knee last month, wouldn't comment on whether he felt he would practice today, i Meanwhile, coach Kevin Gilbride i "said he would name his starting Quarterback for Saturday's exhibi- tlon opener against the San Fran- Cisco 49ers on Wednesday. Craig 'Whelihan is listed No.

1 on the 'depth chart, but rookie Ryan Leaf might draw the start. i ing but was unable to return in the afternoon. There is a very good chance none of the ailing linebackers will be available when the Colts open the preseason Saturday at Seattle. The unit was so depleted Monday that the coaching staff decided to move defensive end Carl Powell to linebacker. He worked Monday as Jeff Herrod's backup in the middle.

"It's not that Carl wasn't playing well at defensive end, because he was," coach Jim Mora said. "We're just looking for linebackers." Also watching Monday's work were tight end Marcus Pollard, who suffered a slight shoulder separation in last weekend's work against the St. Louis Rams and offensive linemen Steve Hardin (knee) and Brandon Hayes (ankle). Comerback Tyrone Poole was excused from Monday's workout and could miss today because of a death in the family. Training camp today The Colts' training camp today will run from 3 p.m.

to 5 p.m. at Anderson University. On Wednesday, the team will practice from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 3 p.m.

to 5 p.m. ten moved to a pass-rushing end when the ball was thrown. He produced 16.5 sacks, 37 quarterback pressures, 11 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles in 32 starts. When it comes to physical comparisons, the 6-2, 248-pound Berry is more Bennett than Footman. "I think I bring a lot of explosiveness, a lot of speed to the position," said Berry.

"I think I have pretty good strength, so I can play with technique." Berry said the biggest transition from linebacker to end has been dealing with the incessant contact. "It's a lot more physical (at end)," he said. "At linebacker, a lot of time you're dropping into coverage and on a given play, you might not have any contact. At end, you get it every play." Playing at end, he said, is not so much about thinking. "It's about beating the man In front of you." StarNews.com has mora Keep tabs on the Colts during their weekday preseason workouts with our online audio updates.

SpeedNet, Indiana's Game and CiideCity.com are on StarNews.com at http:vvvw.stamews.com or stead of implying a level of willfull- ness, we have to recognize people can have illnesses other than physical ones." Associated Press STEPPING UP: Brad Miller (center) gave the U.S. team a lift inside by scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds. layup to put Italy ahead 48-42 with 8:19 to go. Yugoslavia, which beat Italy in the 1997 European championship gold medal game, had its chances to win, but Milenko Topic and Sasha Obradovic both missed Jumpers in the final 2.5 seconds. Yugoslavia had beaten its-first four opponents by an average of more than 25 points, but it; committed 20 turnovers on Monday.

Greece, playing before 14,000 people at the Peace and Friendship arena, led 43-38 with about 7. minutes remaining, but Russia went on a 14-0 run to take control. Babkov led four Russians in double figures, while Fragiskos Alvertis topped Greece with 12 points. Elsewhere, Australia (3-2) rallied for a 75-63 victory over Brazil (1-4), and Puerto Rico (2-3) kept alive its slim hopes for a quarterfinal' spot by beating Canada (1-4) 94-81: In consolation Nigeria claimed 13th place with' a '70-60 victory over Japan, and Senegal finished 15th by beating South Korea 75-72. 34) Go watch a state prep championship in one of sports: volleyball, track, softball.

tennis, cross countryretci 35) Attend a Special Olympics event, Just to put all of the above into perspective. I'm sure there are things tvi left out. Call with your nominations at (317) 624-4636 and enter category 7151 or write me in care of Sports, 307 N. Pennsylvania, Indianapolis, IN 46204. up i -m.

Zf By Mike Chappell STAFF WRITER ANDERSON, Ind. Versatility was one of Aaron Taylor's featured traits at Nebraska. The Indianapolis Colts will try to find out if it followed him into the NFL. An All-Ameri-can selection at both center and guard and the recipient of last year's Outland Trophy honoring the nation's top interior lineman, the Colts as a COLTS NOTEBOOK Taylor joined seventh-round draft pick and found himself working in the off-season at center. Monday, he was working at guard.

Call it the more-is-better approach. "I don't think it's a matter of me sticking at guard or sticking at center," Taylor said after the afternoon practice. "It's just a chance for me to get reps at both. "I don't know what they're looking at. All I know is it's a situation I need to take advantage of.

If I can do good at both positions, maybe I'll have a shot." The Colts' starting interior unit ENDS Continued from Page 1 If Footman can build on last year's success and Al Fontenot can at least duplicate the consistency he brought as a 16-game starter at left end, the Colts should be able to compensate for the loss of Bennett. The potential supporting cast at end is another matter. WMMX 40 OFF Reg. Price FREE ESTIMATES VISIT OUR DISPLAY HOURS 8-8 UCENSE0-B0K0E0 INSURED IMMEDIATE OUT-OF-TOWN CONSTRUCTION I-90O-924-39M 100 BANK FINANCING 271- After Hours: 272-4808 839-3736 VINYL SIDING rrcnvr 40 oa au 'Yp as? 'v' Win U.S. Continued from Page 1 But as it has almost all tournament, the United States started flat, missing 12 of its first 15 shots and trailing 20-8 just 9 minutes into the game.

The crew of castoffs, most of whom play in either the CBA or Europe, shot ll-for-31 from the field (35 percent) in the first half and trailed 42-31 at halftime. But they battled back behind Oliver's hot hand and some increased intensity on defense. "We're a working-class team," said Oliver, a former Purdue standout who now plays in Spain. "We're not high class, highly paid individuals. We need to go out and work for it.

If we do, this gold medal should be ours." Spain's Alberto Herreros scored 27 points. The Americans, playing here because the NBA labor dispute led to the dumping of the roster of NBA stars, never led until Oliver hit his fifth 3-polnter of the game to make it 72-71. Free throws by both teams made it 75-73 with 10 seconds left, giving Spain time to tie or win the game. But Ignacio Rodriguez missed a 3-polnter from the corner and Jose Antonio Paraiso, who grabbed the rebound, threw up a wild shot. Since losing to Lithuania in its second game, the United States has won three consecutive, and no one has a better record.

This is all going to be work here. We're not going to breeze through any game," said Jimmy King, a part of Michigan's Fab Five which reached two NCAA title games. "That's how competitive this tournament is." Yugoslavia and Greece found that out. Fucka, who was born in Slovenia, paced Italy (3-2) past 1990 world champion Yugoslavia with 15 points. He had seven consecutive points off a tip-in, 3-pointer and BEfJNER Continued from Page 1 Speedway museum.

31) Visit the college football Hall of Fame in South Bend. 32) Return to the IHSAA championship basketball game after the IHSAA returns to its senses and restores the single-champion format. 33) Attend an IU soccer game at Bill Armstrong Stadium. I ROOM ADDITIONS 1iibwiiiiii mi hiibiiJm "What this does is put some pressure on the young guys," said Blache. "If something happens to Dan or Al, somebody is going to have to step up." Whoever that might be will be fairly green.

Bertrand Berry is working as Footman's backup. He was a third-round draft pick a year ago who spent his rookie season at outside linebacker. Behind Fontenot are Kendel Shello and Carl Powell. Shello has seen limited action in seven games since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 1996. Powell, a fifth-round draft pick a year ago, primarily was used on special teams as a rookie.

Berry said his experience at Notre Dame helped accelerate his position switch with the Colts. A three-year starter with the Irish, he was an outside linebacker who of- I Will NOT If ITHERTECH WINDOWS The ll-Amfi(on Vinyl Rtplotxntnt Windo OVERHEAD DOORS CONSTRUCTION CO. COWUTtKUKOUMO 271-2900 9215 E. US 36 Often Copied A Never Jrlt.tJllLi But II I.