Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 14

1 3 Looking for basketball? extra Section THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC HO days till Opening Day FRIDAY, MARCH 13. 1998 Senior Editor, Kathy Tulumello 444-8641 kathy.lulumellopni.com 'S Champ Hawaiian punch(out) dinner: Burgers Woods' fare differs from Zoeller's joke XT draft pick Arizona gets picks, players (A in 4 'St i There are two quarterbacks in this draft, and I think the consensus of opinion is that two guys like that don 't come along very often. Bobby Beathard chargers general manager I By Ron Slrah Associated Pros Fuzzy Zoeller can rest easy. Tiger Woods won't be serving fried chicken and collard greens at The Masters champion's dinner. Woods' menu, the subject of racial jokes by Zoeller after last year's tournament, includes cheeseburgers, french fries, grilled chicken sandwiches and strawberry and vanilla milkshakes, sources familiar with the plans told the Associated Press on Thursday.

The previous year's winner picks the menu for the champion's dinner. Zoeller, who won The Masters in 1979, will be at the dinner. Last April, Zoeller reacted to Woods, who was closing in on his record 12-stroke victory at Augusta National, by making several racial references to Woods, whose father is black and mother is from Thailand. "That little boy is driving well, and he's putting well," Zoeller said. "He's doing everything it takes to win.

So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it?" Then, as he was walking away, Zoeller snapped his fingers and added, "Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve." Zoeller, who insisted he was joking, apologized and several days 1 By Paula Story Associated Press SAN DIEGO It cost them plenty, but the San Diego Chargers assured themselves of picking either Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf in April's NFL draft. Desperate for a starting quarterback, the Chargers made a blockbuster deal with Arizona to move up one -spot in April's draft Thursday, from the third pick to the second. The Cardinals get San Diego's first- and second-round picks this year, plus the Chargers' 1999 first-round pick. They also get star punt returner Eric Metcalf and linebacker Patrick Sapp.

"There are two quarterbacks in this draft, and I think the consensus of opinion is that two guys like that don't come along very often," Chargers General Manager Bobby Beathard said. "If we're going to be successful in getting that type of quarterback, we're going to have to give up something, and we really did." Indianapolis, which traded quarterback Jim Harbaugh to Baltimore last month, has the first pick. Beathard said the team has no preference between Manning and Leaf. "Whichever one is there," he said. Stan Humphries, San Diego's starting quarterback since 1992, retired Feb.

27 due to the effects of two concussions suffered 4 only Craig Whelihan, who saw his first NFL action and was 0-7 in relief of Humphries. The Chargers were 4-12 last year, losing their last eight games. Their offense was one of the NFL's worst, but they've begun to' rebuild by welcoming back run-" ning back Natrone Means and signing free-agent linemen Aaron Taylor from Green Bay and John Jackson from Pittsburgh. Then the big trade. "I really personally didn't ex- pect it to happen this quickly," Beathard said, adding that he'd been on the phone nearly non-stop for 24 hours.

1 "It's a load off my mind." Beathard said Manning, from Tennessee, and Leaf, from Washington State, are similar in that they're bigj have been winners and "are tough guys. Each one has the ingredients to be a top-level quarterback in this league." Metcalf signed as a free agent last year. He set an NFL record with his ninth career punt return for a touchdown. -later Woods accepted the apology. The matter was stirred up again the banter with Victor McBryde, a black corporate executive.

Zoeller lost major endorsement deals with Kmart and Dunlop be-" cause of the controversy but has since lined up contracts with Daiwa clubs, Sport-Haley clothing and Breeze sunglasses. Tony Cheng'Assoriated Press Arizona State's Bobby Lazor hangs on to the ball as Hawaii's Eric Ambrozich (34) and Mike Robinson battle for possession late Wednesday night ASU lost, 90-73, in the first round of the NIT, to end the season. Story, C6. within 18 days last season. Jim Everett won't be back, leaving ASU's Murphy: Misunderstood or menace? Manning cherishes memories of 1988 title with Kansas by the With three more victories, Arizona State's Pat Murphy, 39, will become the yojngest coach in college baseball to reach the 500-victory milestone.

Six others reached 500 at age 41: Ron Fraser Miami Mark Marquess Stanford Jim Morris Miami Ron Polk Mississippi State Danny Price Florida International Bobby Winkles Arizona State By Bob Young The Arizona Republic Danny Manning had just completed his NCAA Tournament bracket for the Suns' pool, and nobody really needed to ask which team he penciled in for the championship. "Kansas," Manning answered. "Of course." By Paola Boivin The Arizona Republic The setting sun over Packard Stadium drops a shadow on Pat Murphy that splits him in half. It is a metaphor for how the Arizona State baseball coach is perceived. Is he the man pitcher Phill Lowery "would run through a wall for," or the one Baseball America tabbed "the most disliked man in college baseball?" Is he the man who befriends campus maintenance workers and pays their way to California for a major league game, or the one whom ASU fans seem unwilling to embrace? "I'm probably the only coach who's in the Top 10 in the country who goes to his games and gets booed," he said.

The problem with achieving success so young is that your maturation becomes public. Even the bill of Murphy's ASU Arizona State Coach Pat Murphy has a reputation for being outspoken and loyal to his team to a fault Both qualities have drawn fire, and the Sun Devils' head man has had to deal with a negative image despite his on-field success. 0, J- iV I ti Vr i A i cap can't stop the glare of this spotlight. The 39-year-old is three victories away from becoming the youngest coach in college baseball to reach 500. Six did it at 41.

Two coaches Grand Canyon's Gil Stafford and Texas Tech's Larry Hays were younger, but fewer, than 75 per- Please see MURPHY, Page CI 2 The Arizona Republic How could Manning pick anybody else? After all, the Suns forward led Kansas to an improbable national championship 10 years ago. The Jayhawks were not ranked among the nation's Top 25 clubs but swept through the tournament to win the 1988 title. "Danny and the Miracles" they were called, and just last month, the club got together during the NBA All-Star break for a 10-year reunion. "We had a really good team," Manning said, rejecting the idea that he carried the Jayhawks to that national title. But there's little argument that he did.

Manning averaged 27.2 points and 9-3 rebounds in six games, both highs for that year's NCAA field. And he was the overwhelming choice for Most Valuable Player of the 50th anniversary Final Four played in Without looking back, Blair looking strong for D-Backs QS 1 fj Danny Manning UP Warriors at Suns 1 7 tonight, Cox Sports 34, KTAR-AM (620), KFUX-AM (1480). than his previous high gave up only three hits and struck out two. The Diamondbacks (10-7) held off a Rockies rally to beat Colorado for the first time in tries, 5-4, at Tucson Electric Park. Blair was scheduled to throw four innings.

Thursday, but after the fourth, he was only two pitches off his previous three-inning outing Saturday night. "So we decided to let him get up to 60 and he ended up at around 57," Manager Buck Showalter said. Blair said, "I felt better as the game went on, Please see HAM, Page C7, By Don Ketchum The Arizona Republic TUCSON Since. his brief tryout as a hockey goalie put him nowhere but in the infirmary over the weekend, Willie Blair went back to what he does best Thursday pitching. The right-hander, who suffered a foot injury when trying to deflect a grounder by Colorado's Derrick Gibson on Saturday night, got another chance against the Rockies and made the most of it He pitched five innings the longest effort by an Arizona pitcher this spring and two more Matt Williams (left) congratulates Karim Garcia after Garcia hit a home run during Thursday's 5-4 win over Colorado.

Kansas City. Manning was 21 years old and would be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft that summer, going to the Los Angeles Clippers, where he later would play for his college coach, Larry Brown. Of course, Manning assumed that title would be -jfw1 CD Deidre HarmlUThe Arizona Republic Please see KMSS36, Page C12 NHL, C4 NBA, C4 COLLEGE BASKETBALL, C6 i BIKING, C11 Mountain biking's Cactus Cup returns to its roots at CACTUS LEAGUE Alt games at 1:05 p.m. unless indicated.

Angels (ss) vs. A (ss). Phoenix Penguins 4. flames Hawks 110, Celtics 105 ASU starts slow and stays that way 76ers 88, Wizards 86 Hornets 85, Knicfcs 78 Cavaliers 95, Bucks 83 Pistons 122. Pacers 91 in losing to Hawaii, 90-73, in the NIT.

Senators 5, Panthers 3 Canucks 2. Canadiers 2 Rangers 5. Sharks 3 i I Oilers 2, Lightning Avalanche 3. Eiues 2 Maple Leafs 3, alghty Oucks 1 i Angels (ss) vs. White Sox.

Tucson Electric Giants (ss) vs. Manners, Peoria A (ss) vs. Rockies (ss), Tucson Hi Corbett Rockies (ss) vs. Giants (ss). Scottsdale Brewers vs.

Cubs. Mesa McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Jazz 110, Kings 95 ASU Lakers 121. Trail BUzars 107 Ttmberworves 1 13, Warriors 84 Diamondbacks vs. Padres.

Yuma. 7:05 p.m. 1.