St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 18

D2 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH SPORTS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1999 www.postnet.comsports Looking ahead Sports Shorts FOOTBALL New Orleans' Williams is cleared for opener Looking at who's in and who's out in the world of sports IHUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED 2 3 4 6 7 8 um at at at at Ji Mil. Mitw. Mil Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta "yZ. 7:05 p.m.

12:15 p.m. 1:05 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 6:40 p.m.

kplr(H) KTVI (2) KPLR(ll) Fox Sports Fox Sports Fox Sports Detroit 6pm KTVI (2) 4 1 1 Lil fejj UAB KTVI (2) will join the game in progress after the Vff 2:30 p.m. Cardinals game. MQ) 1 1 1 1 w. (tiSvi Arkansas sMJ St 2:30 p.m. ir PAgX Post Post Post Post Time Timt Time Tim" 7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. 1p.m. 7:30 p.m. J. I CM I v- H'y 5 Tennis: U.S.

Open Men's draw is hit very hard with injuries to The Associated press Mew Uneans rookie running back Ricky Williams, sidelined with an ankle injury since the first preseason game, has been cleared to play in the season opener. Williams, who had an ankle strain after just nine carries in the Saints' first exhibition game of the year, was given the go- ahead to play in the Sept. 12 opener against the Carolina Pan thers, Saints trainer Dean Kleinschmidt said. The team expected Williams to return for the opener all along, and had repeatedly denied re ports that he would miss the first two games of the year. Williams will sit out the final preseason game against the Ten nessee Titans tonight.

The Chicago Bears quarter back of the future is just that. Shane Matthews, not Cade McNown, will start the Sept. 12 season opener against Kansas City and play "the vast majority" of the game, coach Dick Jauron said. But McNown, the 12th over all pick of the 1999 draft, will play in an unheard of time-share arrangement. The University of Oregon has given football coach Mike Bellotti a new seven-year contract that will pay him more than $700,000 a season.

BASEBALL Blue Jays lose Hamilton for season The Toronto Blue Jays' playoff hopes are fading, and the news got worse as starting pitcher Joey Ham ilton is out for the season with a sore shoulder. He is 7-8 with a 6.52 ERA. The Chicago Cubs acquired minor-league third baseman Cole Liniak from Boston, completing a three-player deal that sent re liever Rod Beck to the Red Sox. Willie Mays the father of the Hall of Fame outfielder, died Friday (Aug. 27, 1999) in Califor nia after a brief illness.

He was 89. HOCKEY Canucks sign Naslund to three-year contract I he Vancouver Canucks re signed right wing Markus Naslund, their leading scorer from last season, to a three-year, $7.2 mil lion contract. Naslund, 26, had a career-high 36 goals and 30 assists for the Canucks last season, his sixth in the National Hockey League. He was a member of the World Team at the 1999 NHL All-Star Game, his first career All-Star appearance. Mario Lemieux's takeover of the bankrupt Pittsburgh Penguins was approved by the NHL.

Only court approval remains to complete the deal, which is ex pected Friday in Pittsburgh by a bankruptcy judge. The Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Jocelyn Thibault to a multiple-year contract. MEDIA MU stays on KTRS KTRS (550 AM) has extended its agreement to broadcast University of Missouri football and basketball for three more seasons. The station has been the St. Louis radio home of the Tigers since the 1997 foot ball season, ine new deal runs through the 2001-02 basketball sea son.

BASKETBALL Rockets sign Francis after big NBA trade The Houston Rockets signed rookie guard Steve Francis to a contract five days after acquiring his rights from Vancouver in the largest trade in NBA history. Francis, the second overall pick in the June draft, had refused to sign with the Grizzlies. On the air TODAY'S TVRADIO Pro Football Exhibition: Rams at Detroit, KTVI (2), KSD-FM (93.7 FM), KATZ (1600 AM), 6 p.m. College Football Oregon at Michigan State, ESPN, 7 p.m. Truman State at Illinois State, WINU (880 AM), 6 p.m.

Major-League Baseball Cardinals at Milwaukee, Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM) 7 p.m. Pro Basketball WNBAfinals: Game One, Houston at New York, Lifetime, 7 p.m. Tennis U.S. Open, USA, 10 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Golf Championship, Air Canada Al Ui The race is on.

game of the World Series the way people were jumping around, pumping their fists," Percival said. "It was odd, considering they're 19 games up in their division and we're 27 games down in ours. I wasn't going to be anyone's whipping boy. I wasn't getting a lot of respect out there, so I'm going to throw inside." That inside pitch hit Indians slugger David Justice, who rushed the mound and threw his helmet at Percival. Again, Percival accused the Indians of showing poor form.

"I had a right to be angry, a guy whipped a helmet at my face," Percival said after the obligatory bench-clearing brawl. "I have a ball in my hand, and there are other places I could throw it if I wanted to. If that's the way the game is played, why don't you bring your bat out there? And it's not like Justice is 5-10 and 140 pounds." Megaphone "It would be like Einstein trying to explain the theory of relativity to you guys. It would take all day and you still probably wouldn't understand it I know I wouldn't." Miami Dolphins defensive end Dimitrius Underwood, declining to tell reporters why he walked away from the Minnesota Vikings and a $1.75 million signing bonus. Some information compiled from Post-Dispatch wire services.

or (Steve) Largent or Rice. I hope he has a chance to go further, be cause he can do it." By his second year, Pingel was Division III All-America material. As a junior he was a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy and Melberger Award, the D-III equivalents of the Heisman Trophy but not the kind that gams national attention. Thus far, the Pingel story has had trouble breaking outside of towns where Westminster plays. A crowd df about 1,500 is expected to watch him attempt to break Rice's record Saturday in Jacksonville, 111.

His pursuit of Rice has been so hush-hush that Pingel wasn't asked about the record until the final game of the 1998 season. "The first time I heard about it was the first game last year, but at that point I didn't even know who had the record," he said. "Then I got caught up in last year's team success and didn't worry about the numbers. The last game was the first time anyone in the media said anything about it." Although no one has dared to compare Pingel to Rice, those who have seen his run into the record book say the 6-foot-l, 180-pounder has been spectacular in his own right. Critics attribute his statistics to the Westminster system, which produced an average of 56 pass attempts per game in 1998.

However, during the season Pingel runs about 70 pass routes each game, takes a physical pounding and manages to beat double and triple coverages. Last year he overcame the maddening attention to make 130 catches for 2,157 yards and 26 TDs. "He's intelligent, runs great routes and his hands are unbelievable," Welty said. "What he lacks in speed he makes up in other ways. He has that wide reach and his hands are above average in size and soft like a baby's butt.

When he catches the ball, you can't even hear it. "It's a privilege and an honor just to watch him play." lil! i i By Jeff Gordon Of the Post-Dispatch Ironhead invades NASCAR One of Tipsheet's all-time favorite players, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, is back in the news. As part of a promotion for Players the marketing arm of the NFL Players Association, Heyward will join the pit crew for John Andretu' for NASCAR's Select Batteries 400 Sept. 11 at Richmond International Joining him will be Tony Dor-sett and Charley Taylor. Driver Kyle Petty, meanwhile, will have the lumbering trio of Dick Butkus, Willie Lanier and Greenwood in his pits.

Both race teams will feature NFL colors for that event. The driver who finishes best will get a $10,000 donation from Players Inc. to his favorite charity. If one of the drivers actually wins the race an extremely unlikely event a $100,000 donation will be made. And if the drivers finish one-two, Players Inc.

will cough up $500,000. The only way it happens is if Butkus goes nuts at the drivers' meeting and cleans out the. room. But it was a nice thought, anyway. Mysteries of the universe Questions to ponder while artists get busy on the Larry Lueb-bers statue to be placed outside Busch Stadium: If fundamentally unsound baseball is unique to the Tony La Russa regime, then how does one explain the outfield play of Lonnie Smith, the glovework of Pedro Guerrero and the cross-diamond throws of Todd Zeile? And are we sure that Adam Kennedy is any worse at second base than most anybody the Cardinals have used there since Tommy Herr? With Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter pulling the chute at the U.S.

Open, is there any reason NOT to spend all our time watching the women play? Speaking of Rafter, how could he lose to Celine Dion? Does anybody doubt that, when all is said and done, most of these martyred umpires will get their jobs back? Will the Blues allow Ladis-lav Nagy and Jaroslav Obsut to play on the same scrimmage Pingel Westminster receiver is on verge of many records Continued from Page Dl watching Scott he said, 'He's got the best pair of hands I've seen in His whole attitude changed. 'I can't evaluate Scott, but his stats don't lie. He's probably a marginal prospect, but I thought he was a marginal player when I first saw him." Welty hasn't heard another word from the Broncos. The obscurity of playing at Westminster and a 4.7-second 40 figure to hinder Pin-gel's post-college options. But his eye-popping statistics will do nothing but help if he is to have a future beyond Westminster.

Pingel should generate more at tention after this weekend. Entering the Blue Jays' opener at Illinois College on Saturday, he needs two catches to surpass Rice's NCAA record of 301 career receptions. He starts the season with eight Division III records. They helped, get Pingel a sniff from the Broncos. He knows it's up to him to take the process further.

"There are so many things you can't measure on me in one day," Pingel said. "If you have 4.3 speed and can't catch the ball, what good is it going to do? But I have to get past that one day." The trail that landed Pingel as a starting receiver at Westminster is as improbable as his stats, which include an average of 10.3 catches and 153.8 yards per game over three seasons. "It's ridiculous to have a guy re ceive tor those kinds ot yards, Welty said. After spending one semester at East Central Missouri, where he hoped to play basketball, and one at Missouri, Pingel walked on at top players U.S. Open at a glance; Weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 76.

Attendance: Day session: 27,655. Results: Men's singles: No. Greg Rusedski and No. 14 Tommy Haas advanced to the second 'S round. No.

17 Felix Mantilla was' defeated by Magnus Norman. Women's singles: Advancing to the third round were No. 1 Martina Hingis, No. 8 Jana Novotna, Nq. 10 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, No( 12 Barbara Schett, No.

13 Dominique Van Roost and No. 1.5.;; Amelie Mauresmo. 'vf "Pioline is still here," he said. "It's good." That left Kuerten, who was hitting with Sampras when the four; time champion was injured on Sun. day, at the top of that half of the draw and perhaps wondering about- it- The Brazilian, winner of the-French Open two years ago, has-never made it past the second, round of the U.S.

Open. He plays Paul Haarhuis next Behind Kuerten comes No. Todd Martin, who barely made it; through the first round with a five set victory that included thre tie breakers. experience before season Those players will lead Washing; ton U. into a schedule that includes' four teams ranked in various season Division III polls, including No.

2 Trinity, which reached the. national semifinals last season. "Our goals aren't any different; this year," Kindbom said. "We)" have one of the toughest schedules in the country in Division III. Butjf some things fall our way, we have a shot at being competitive at a higher level." Lake hopes to take the offense the level it reached a year ag when he completed 51 of 92 for 727 yards and eight toucb.

downs in parts of seven games. Receiver Cory Snyder, who 1 haif 41 receptions last season, will have'! to step in with the loss of Brugge; man, who led the team with, 5Q; catches. Also back is running back Larry-Foster, who led the Bears with 642" rushing yards. However, the team's; biggest question mark is the sive line, which lost both starter?" on the right side. V.

"Our potential is said. "We have to go out be patient. In our two-a-daysl; we've been struggling, but its struggle because we know there's something there. Wejust need to all get on the right I'm not too concerned because l' know it will happen." The defense will try to once;" again make its name on take-, aways. Last year the Bears 27 turnovers and had a plus-11; turnover ratio.

Five of the six tacklers return, led by'" Steinbruegge, who had 102 and!" three interceptions. Also back are); linebacker Cory Kamholz (99 tack-" les) and cornerback Kevin Dymll (five interceptions). I "Everyone came into camp in re-" ally good shape and everyone flying around," Steinbruegge said.i; "We have a lot more depth, and; coming back from camp everyonej knows the defense a little better.i Toward- the end of last year wej started playing better together and-' that should carry over. We ktyowl what to expect when times'' are good. CRAIG "IRONHEAD" HEYWARD: team in training camp, or will the club split them up to be fair to everybody else? One of the good guys New Jersey being the sort of state that it is, we're not surprised that thieves swiped a customized wheelchair belonging to a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.

The wheelchair had been attached to the back of his mother's car, which was also stolen. Police recovered the car, but not the wheelchair. So New Jersey Nets center Jayson Williams another Tip-sheet favorite was one of several good Samaritans who stepped up and offered to replace the $5,000 piece of equipment. Williams left a message with the boy's mother, Nora Komen-da, that said "he was happy that Jared was his No. 1 fan and he was going to help him out," Ko-menda said Tuesday.

Get somebody out You could hardly blame the Cleveland Indians for celebrating Tuesday night when they used a 10-run eighth inning to come back from eight runs back. But Anaheim Angels reliever Troy Percival, the Tribe's victim, wasn't amused by Cleve land's reaction. "It looked like the seventh Scott Pingel's records NCAA records Most receiving yds. (season) 2,157 Most receiving yds. (game) 395 Most yards per game (season) 215.7 Division III records Most receptions (career) 300 Most receptions (season) 130 Most TD receptions (season) 26 Most 2-point conv.

(career) 15 Most 2-point conv. (season) 8 NCAA career receiving records within reach Recordholder Pingel Most receptions 301 Jerry Rice 300 Most receiving yards 4,696 Scott Hvistendahl 4,460 Most receptions per game 10.5 Manny Hazard 10.3 Most yards per game 140.9 Alex Van Dyke 153.8 Most 100-yard games .24 Marcus Harris 21 Most TD receptions 55 Chris Bisaillon 51 Most TD catches per game 1.2Jerry Rice 1.7 Most games with TD catch 27 Ryan Yarborough 23 Westminster in 1996. That was the school's first year of football. Buried on the depth chart at quarterback, he volunteered to run pass routes. Under the tutelage of former Mizzou and NFL running back Tony Galbreath, the team's receivers coach in 1996 and '97, he landed a starting job within weeks for his first game as a freshman.

"It's amazing what he can do," Galbreath said. "I played in the NFL, and I don't know if I've seen anyone with hands like him. He's got the hands of (Fred) Biletnikoff NEW YORK Three days into the U.S. Open, the top half of the men's draw is drooping, missing two of the tournament favorites and one of its heaviest hitters. It is left with No.

5 Gustavo Kuerten as its top remaining seeded player. Injuries took top-seeded Pete Sampras and two-time defending champion Patrick Rafter out of the mix early. Before the tournament ever began, their half of the draw took a hit when No. 11 Mark Phil-ippoussis, a big-serving finalist last year, pulled out because of a knee injury. Sampras left before playing a match, his run at a record 13th Grand Slam title ended by a herniated disc in his back.

Then Rafter went down with an aching shoulder, forced to retire from his first-round match against Cedric Pio- line. It marked the first time since this tournament began in 1881 that a defending champion has lost in the first round. "It's tough for the tournament," Rafter said. "Especially with Pete playing such great tennis, and my form was pretty good, as well, coming into here. I was feeling pretty confident about having some good wins here.

"For me, it's very tough to pull yourself off that court." For Pioline, the casualties were no problem. Washington U. gets fine-tuned By Stu Durando Of the Post-Dispatch Introductions were limited when members of the Washington University football team convened for two-a-days in preparation for this season. Familiarity was no problem thanks to the presence of 58 players from last year's team, including nine defensive and six offensive starters. The confusion came when players began to match up with their respective position coaches.Coach Larry Kindbom put the Washington U.

staff through an offseason overhaul, but he believes the changes will help the Bears build on last year's 6-4 finish. "The newness is with the coaches, because they're all coaching different positions," he said. "But we're prepared, and we all have experience coaching the positions we're coaching. In a lot of ways it's a better match, just different. "It has put just enough edge on the returning players to have to come back and prove themselves again." The departure of offensive line coach Andy Hoffman and running backs coach John Keen set in motion a sequence of moves, including three additions to the staff and a variety of position switches.

Among the changes, Kindbom will move from coaching the quarterbacks to the offensive line. Each coach will have plenty of experienced players with whom to work. The defense, which allowed 19.8 points per game last year, has reason for optimism with three preseason AU-Amencans: satety Steve Steinbruegge (Francis Howell North) and ends Tim Runnalls (DeSmet) and Luke Mcintosh. The offense will fall into the hands of quarterback Greg Lake (CBC), who saw spot action each of the last two years. The Bears averaged 30.4 points last year but will have to make up for the loss of first team All-University Athletic Asso ciation receiver Mark Bruggeman, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice.

ESPN, 2 p.m. it miC i rM(ft rfVtMflfcrin.