The Daily Journal from Franklin, Indiana • Page 13

PAILY JOURNAL. JOHNSON COUNTY, IND. SPORTS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2002 B3 agles turn to tnira-strin ByRobMaaddi I m. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PHILADELPHIA A.J. Feeley began training camp battling for the backup quarterback job and "You're looking at a big, strong kid that had good mobility and had a strong arm.

He's a great competitor and a smart kid. As long as he goes out and plays within himself he'll be fine' Andy Reid Philadelphia coach on AJ. Feeley ended up fighting for a roster spot. He was released two months ago, re-signed a few days later 1 isv and spent a week on the squad. himself and do a nice job." The Eagles (8-3) lead the NFC East by two games over the New York Giants, but have their sights on securing a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

They're tied with the Green Bay Packers for the No. 2 spot in the conference, but hold the tiebreaker because they are 7-0 in conference games. Without McNabb and Detmer, the Eagles turn their playoff hopes over to Feeley, who wasn't even a starter as a senior in college. Feeley started eight games as a junior and backed up Joey Harrington his final season. "A.J.

didn't play much, but he played enough to where you could get a feel for this guy," Reid said. "You're looking at a big, strong kid that had good mobility and had a strong arm. He's a great competitor and a smart kid. As long as he goes out and plays within himself, he'll be fine" Tim Hasselbeck, who lost out for the No. 3 spot to Feeley in training camp, now becomes the backup.

Hasselbeck hasn't played in an NFL game. The Eagles likely will add another quarterback to the roster this week. Feeley, a fifth-round pick last year, got his only action as a rookie during the fourth quarter of a meaningless regular-season finale against Tampa Bay. He completed 10 of 14 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to lead the Eagles to a comeback victory. "A.J.

has had stiff competition coming in to make this team as the third quarterback and also in competition with Koy for that second spot," Reid said. "Guys have seen him under the gun and they've seen A.J. having to battle for a position and a job, so they have confidence in him with that." Daily Journal wire reports BASEBALL CHICAGO Cubs trade for catcher The Chicago Cubs are stockpiling catchers, acquiring Paul Bako from the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named. The move gives the Cubs three catchers, a position they've targeted this off-season. They traded for Damian Miller just two weeks ago, and still have Todd Hundley on the roster.

After first announcing they were giving up minor league infielder Ryan Gripp, the Cubs later said Milwaukee would get a player to be named. Bako has a .990 fielding percentage in five seasons with Milwaukee, Detroit, Houston, Florida and Atlanta. He had his best years in Atlanta, where he was the personal catcher for four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux. PHILADELPHIA Bowa's contract extended The Philadelphia Phillies extended the contract of manager Larry Bowa through the 2004 season. The Phillies on Tuesday exercised a one-year option on Bowa's current contract.

It is the second time the team has exercised an option on Bowa's original two-year contract, signed in 2000. The team also added an option for 2005. Bowa, 166-157 as Philadelphia's manager, won the National League Manager of the Year award in 2001, when he led the Phillies to a second-place finish, two games behind Atlanta in the NL East. Last season, the Phillies finished 80-81. The Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback Koy Detmer releases a pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter on Monday in San Francisco.

Detmer was removed from the game after dislocating his left elbow. Unless Koy Detmer recovers quickly from a dislocated left elbow, Feeley will make his first NFL start for the Philadelphia Eagles against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game "I think A.J. is comfortable with all the things we've done. magnificently in Monday night's 38-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

In his first start in three years, Detmer completed 18 of 26 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a 1-yard score. After Detmer went down with 3:32 left in the third quarter, Feeley completed all three of his passes for 17 yards, with a 1-yard TD pass to Chad Lewis. Detmer is doubtful for Sunday, but Reid hasn't officially ruled him out. "It's too bad things happened the way they did for Koy," Reid said. "He took command of the huddle and made some plays.

Koy came in and did what we thought Koy could do. He just took and executed the offense to a T. "Obviously, I'd be very foolish to say we don't miss a Donovan McNabb. Anytime you take a guy like that out, you're going to miss something. Koy stepped up to the plate and did a nice job.

A.J. will step in there, play within You want to let the guy execute the plays he's familiar with," Eagles coach Andy Reid said Tuesday. Detmer, starting for the injured Donovan McNabb, played Losing streak hounds Carolina OLYMPICS VNiiX. M. mm dropping 15 straight games in a season.

But coach John Fox was brought in this year and the changes in energy and enthusiasm were immediate. The same players who seemingly quit caring last season couldn't wait to get to work turning things around. Despite winning early and keeping games close in earlier defeats, the Panthers have been hammered lately. They lost 41-0 at home Sunday to Atlanta and fans were flocking to the exits before half-time. Despite the early optimism, the Panthers insist they didn't think this was going to be an easy year.

"I didn't expect to be 8-3 at this point, even had you asked me earlier in the season," Fox said. "You're not going 1-15 to 15-lin one season great players and great teams just aren't born. They're developed. It takes time to develop a winning team." for that same violation. Couple all the problems with their current eight-game losing streak and the Panthers are finding few supporters in a city that grew weary of bad behavior a long time ago.

"We're going to give this city the team it deserves, it's just going to take time," general manager Marty Hurney said. "But we're going to do it. I have no doubt about that we are so confident about that." Hurney has a hard time finding believers these days. After reaching the NFC championship game in just their second season, the Panthers hit rock went through the humiliation of receiver Rae Carruth's murder trial an the pain of former running back Fred Lane's shooting death. Losing set in and reached an all-time low last year when the Panthers set an NFL record by MEXICO CITY -Fewer sports likely Baseball, Softball and the ever-.

fascinating modern pentathlon are on the Olympics' endangered 'list. 'They may survive a proposal to eliminate them at the International Olympic Committee meeting this week in Mexico City, but their future in the games is shaky. IOC president Jacques 'Rogge is determined to shrink games, or at least contain item. games have reached a Wreaths Roping Christmas Decorations KAA LJ KAA ByJenna Fryer THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CHARLOTTE, N.C. The year started yth such promise for the dismal Carolina Panthers.

They had a fiery new coach who promised to end both the losing and the string of embarrassing off-field problems. With renewed energy and a 3-0 start to the season, it all seemed believable for a while But now the Panthers are right back where they started, stuck in a long losing streak and dealing with more player problems. Receiver Steve Smith was suspended last week for fighting, and right tackle Chris Terry was cut for a string of issues. Rookie Julius Peppers, the star of the franchise, is appealing a four-game suspension for violating the league's list of banned substances, and Brentson Buckner already accepted the punishment Ravens' Lewis out for season The Associated Press OWINGS MILLS, Md. Ray Lewis will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery rather than prolong his frustrating efforts to return to All-Pro form.

After missing six of the Baltimore Ravens' past seven games, the five-time Pro Bowl linebacker decided to turn his attention to next year and have an operation on his ailing left shoulder. The procedure is expected to take place within the next two weeks. A 'critical size which may put their future success at risk if the size continues to increase," says a preliminary report released earlier this week by the Olympic Hamoc StuHv rnmmiccinn "Tf 7Auio Service South ttfltteEM (tfffiHEffiEt $5.00 OFF Hourly Labor Rates 10 OFF parts (excl. dealer parts) Don't sacrifice your car care for holiday shopping expenses. I ww.

inicvalue.com Otter Expires 12-23-02 Tim mm Ctaf art. VSA. NMHM -m Vtpnm art WW 317-881-5967 'Mosl unchecked, the current growth of the games could discourage many cities from bidding to host the games." terre Haute Champ eyes Olympic run After getting up on the podium at Terre Haute to be crowned the 2002 NCAA cross country champion Monday afternoon, Jorge Torres talked about getting up on a different podium in the future. That would be the podium at the Olympic Games, where Torres plans on eventually competing after finishing his track eligibilty for the University of Colorado next spring. "Next, I will get ready for the Olymics in 2004," Torres said.

"2004 is just around the corner, and I want to be among the best in the world. My big dream is 2004 and 2008." FOOTBALL CLEVELAND Cars mtr m-m unro I tTn mm 'j TP-MS iff Here What Youll Get: i jf i i 1 I K.m DC Wabash dominates awards Wabash's Jake Knott and Nate Boulais have been named North Coast Athletic Conference players of the year and coach Chris Creighton has been named coach of the year, the conference said -Tuesday. Knott was given the Mike Gregory Award as the NCAC's offensive player of the year for the second consecutive season. Boulais received the Hank, Critchfield Award as the defensive player of the year, and Creighton was named coach of the year as if 3 6-PC. RATTAN FURNITURE Convenient ShopHome Service Industry-Exclusive Features 20 Year Warranty Financing to Fit Your Budget 5 Styles and 3 Colors to Choose From :4 the Little Giants finished 11-0.

Knott was the North Coast's leading passer during the regular We have a sunroom to fit every style of home and budget! FT 5 304 passing. He also led the NCAC in total offense with 2,556 yards. Knott threw 31 touchdown passes this year and has 93 for his career. Boulais led the Little Giant -defense during the regular season with 78 tackles, 33 of them solo, ind had 7.5 tackles for loss. Wabash's Chris Creighton was named coafch of the year after the Little Giants won their first NCAC title, finished undefeated for the first time since 1982 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1977.

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