Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 29

Sports NBA 8 3 SCOREBOARD OUTDOORS SPORTS EDITOR: RUSTY HAMPTON, (601) 961-7293 THE CLARION-LEDGER CLARIONLEDGER.COM Kobe's conundrum Should he shoot or should he share? Kobe Bryant's role In the Lakers' offense could be the difference between a playoff berth and life on the outside looking in. 8D 2005 Clarion-Ledger Sportsman of the Year Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans Lions 13, Saints 12 Ugly kick gives Lions ugly win over Saints Neither offense cracks end zone as both quarterbacks search for identities SSggp te, -atOk 5 32 1 svitt 1 r' rmJ By JimVertuno The Associated Press SAN ANTONIO It was an ugly game in an ugly season for both the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints. So bad, in fact, it took the ugliest of kicks in the final seconds to win it. Jason Hanson rushed onto the field and kicked a 39-yard knuckleball field goal as time expired, giving the Lions a 13-12 victory Saturday in a game that, for three quarters, featured two of the NFUs tailenders. There were six field goals, no offensive touchdowns, dropped passes and spotty play by two quarterbacks still trying to figure out where they fit with their teams.

"Winning like this shows character," said Detroit quarterback Joey Harrington. New Orleans, which lost on a bizarre penalty and rekick on the final play two months ago against Atlanta, figured to have this one locked away when John Carney kicked his fourth field goal for a 12-10 lead with 1:52 to play. Harrington, who had been benched twice this season, struggled most of the game before connecting with Roy Williams for two big completions on the Lions' final drive. The first came on fourth down, a 40-yard sideline catch. On the second, with about 13 Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair 7 1 had seen the pictures on TV.

He knew Hurricane i Katrina had ravaged the Mis sissippi Gulf Coast and taken a path See SAINTS, 3D almost directly over his hometown of Mount Olive. He knew it was bad. a i.r -x" passed, he heard from his 1 passed, he heard from his mother, Lucille McNair, who i szm tnH him Sitet linwKaH all of mother, Lucille McNair, who told him just how bad all of 1 I ttllll JUVJV tlV II LSUU IU1 I 4 drive in Nashville, asking for Titans fans to donate clothes, canned goods and water to send to south Mississippi. Rick Cleveland 'v When hurricane-ravaged Mississippi called, Titans QB Steve McNair a Mount Olive native and former Alcorn State star answered. His foundation (below) filled 22 trailers with donated goods.

Hours after the storm south Mississippi had been hit. A few days later, McNair came home and surveyed the damage himself and made a decision that would affect thousands of people from his home state. "It was important to me as a Mississippian to do what I could to help my people, to at least make sure they had the necessities," McNair said. McNair has done plenty and continues to do more. For his contributions of time, money and effort to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, McNair was selected Mississippi's 2005 Sports Person of the Year by The Clarion-Ledger.

Mississippians take pride in how many of the nation's greatest athletes this small state has produced. When the state was hit by the one of the worst natural disasters in history of mankind, many of those athletes pitched in to help in the recovery effort. Nobody did more than McNair, a former Alcorn State star who has homes in Nashville and Mississippi. Initially, McNair began a Eric Gay The Associated Press The Lions squashed Saints' kick returner Fred McAfee in the second quarter, then their hopes of a win with a late field goal in the fourth. He was hoping for five or six truckloads.

He ended up having to hire 22 trucks and drivers. Through his Air McNair Foundation, McNair began selling autographed pictures for $100 each to raise money for the relief effort. To date, he has raised more than $300,000 that has gone directly to Katrina relief. "It just mushroomed," said Don Weatherell, who works with McNair's Hat-tiesburg-based agent Bus Cook and has worked closely with McNair on Katrina relief. "We were hoping to raise a few thousand dollars with the autographed pictures but the money keeps coming in." And it goes to good use, says Rick Maddox of Hatties-burg who has worked as a volunteer in the Katrina relief effort.

Maddox has worked as a liaison between the McNair Foundation and distribution centers in See MCNAIR, 5D Redskins 35, Giants 20 'Santana Claus' keeps Redskins on playoff pace i 1 1 Photo special to The Clarion-Ledger --'-v ai" A The Associated Press White 17, Red 9 a Magnolia Gridiron All-Star Classic JTIaf First-time jitters can't stop big boys LANDOVER, Md. Kicker John Hall walked into the Washington Redskins locker room in a complete outfit of red and white, including the full beard and tall black boots. Santa Claus? No. "Santana Claus," Hall said. Want a better Santana Moss story? Clinton Portis said Moss became a good receiver by playing Frisbee with a dog at the University of Miami.

"He'd outrun the dog, jump up and catch the Frisbee," Portis recalled. Whatever the joke, whatever the game, whoever the quarterback, Moss-going-deep has the Redskins on pace for their first playoff berth in six years. Moss added three touchdowns and 160 yards Saturday in a 35-20 victory over the New York Giants, including a 72-yard touchdown grab from Patrick natured ribbing from one of his coaches for failing to score. "I just lost my balance." The game ended when he fell. Just like Eubanks on that final play, the Magnolia Gridiron Classic showed some potential in its debut but still has a ways to go.

Eubanks and his Division I-A teammates beat their small-school counterparts 17-9 before a rain-drenched crowd of about 100 in Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The all-star game for college seniors, hastily put together this year by organizer Darry Alton of Inaugural game not without hitches as Division l-A stars roll By Mike Christensen mchristensenclarfonledger.com John Eubanks streaked down the sideline, through the gray mist and toward the end zone on Saturday. But the former Southern Miss cornerback, who went virtually the length of the field with his interception, was tripped up inside the lOyardline. "I tried to stay up," said Eubanks, who took some good- Las Vegas, attracted players from all over the country and scouts from a number of NFL teams for the three practice days. The game was televised regionally by CSS, a cable network not available in the Jackson area.

There were other hitches. Limited promotion and the nasty weath-er contributed to a miniscule crowd. Punts and turnovers dominated the game. Several players had to leave during the second half in order to catch flights home. But there were no discouraging words from players, many of whom See MAGNOLIA, 9D See REDSKINS, 3D It I NFL roundup, 2D I Week 1 6 standings, at a glance, 2D I Colts, Seahawks square off, 3D Vickie D.

KingThe Clarion-Ledger Stanford running back J.R. Lemon and the Division l-A team stiff-armed terrible weather and a puny crowd to beat their small-school counterparts during the Magnolia Gridiron Classic. BUSHNELL YARDAGE WHITEWATER 4-1 PARKA AMERISTEP TSC BRICK HOUSE BLIND 15 FOOT BASIC LADDER STAND MOULTRIE DEMAND FEEDER 5 GqI jwfc PRO 450 LASER RANGEFINDER Waterproof, New Breakup Reg.5179.ys SrTfc -S 1 (iBusHI WW Reg. $179.99 'AMWW 6:00 PM MONDAY SATURDAY 5 PM SUNDAY 918 N. Washington, Bastrop, LA 71220 318-283-2688 1-800-726-9930 www.simmonssportinggoods.com Ji.