Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 23

CLARKDNLEDGER.COM 8CBTHE CLARION-LEDGER THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2010 Super Bow! XLIV Sunday, 5:28 p.m., CBS (WJTV-12) Hil I t- lull!" I lyi.H- 1 HJUMIW.W.','" INOieDOOK Archie olchs ud award for Saints' 0-line From staff and wire reports FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. The New Orleans Saints offensive line was honored as the NFL's best here Wednesday no great surprise since the Saints led the league in scoring and total offense this season. Here's the surprise: Accepting the honor for the Saints line was none other than Archie Manning, the defenders because of a sievelike offensive line. "I don't know if I set a record for sacks, but I know I had a pretty high average," Manning said, smiling. Madden called him "one of the greatest Saints, one of the greatest fathers and one of the greatest people ever." After the ceremony, Manning reiterated that he will pull for his son's team Sunday but added, "I spent 17 years in Drew, Mississippi, four years at Ole Miss and the last 39 years in New Orleans, mostly with the Saints.

I'm proud of everything the Saints have achieved, both on the field and in the community after Hurricane Katrina." ed the award in a televised hook-up. Manning, who arrived in Fort Lauderdale earlier Wednesday, accepted in person for the Saints, who were practicing. "They were a consistent group that richly deserves this honor," Manning said of the Saints' offensive line. Tm proud of the Saints for all they've accomplished and I can tell you nobody has this kind of success without a great offensive line." The irony of Manning, a former Saints quarterback, accepting an award for the Saints' offensive line was not lost on anybody, least of all Manning. He spent most of his NFL career fleeing from lamer 01 lnaianapous oas The Associated Press Brees prep reject With Wednesday signaling the first official day that high school players can sign a national letter of intent to college football programs, former Purdue standout Drew Brees was asked about his memories of National Signing Day.

"Being that Florida is a high school football mecca just like the state of Texas, I would like to encourage all Florida high school players to consider Purdue when looking for an institution of higher education and playing in the Big Ten conference and all those things," Brees said. Brees is a native of Austin, Texas, and played at Westlake High in Austin. Despite growing up in the shadows of the University of Texas, he had to go out of state to play on the next level. "Obviously, I have an affinity for Purdue, not only because I went there, but just because they were one of the few schools, that gave me an quarterback Peyton Manning, the Saints' opponent in Sunday's Super Bowl. This was the first presentation of the John Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.

Madden, the NFL Hall of Fame coach, present Drew Brees recalled on Wednesday that his suitors at an Austin, Texas, high school were limited to Purdue and Kentucky. opportunity coming out of FedEx Air NFL Player of the high school," Brees said. "I Cleveland: Colston, Bushrod prove scouting inexact science Year after throwing for 4,388 yards and 34 touchdowns this past season. Johnson was named the Ground NFL Player of the Year after carrying the ball 358 times for 2,006 yards and 14 touchdowns. In recognition of their award, Fed Ex will donate $25,000 to the Safe Kids USA coalitions in New Orleans and Nashville.

wasn't that highly recruited. "Really, it was Purdue and Kentucky." FedEx picks Brees Brees and Tennessee Titans tailback Chris Johnson were honored as the 2009 FedEx Air and Ground NFL Players of the Year on Wednesday. Brees was named the FromlC Jonathan Goodwin, the cen-" ter, had one Division I offer out of hieh school, to Ohio University. Marques Col- stnn nnp nf thp hpst winner Ultimate Full Service Frintinc www.rptwraps.com receivers in the sport, played at Hofstra. For the Colts, wide receiver Pierre Garcon played at D-JJJ Mount Union and star free safety Antoine i1 TT 1 In Louisiana that year, John Fourcade and Tommy Wilcox and Alan Risher were the big quarterback stars.

Nobody looked at me." Hebert believes his youngest son, Beaux, maybe be just like him. Beaux Hebert, a quarterback, received no big-time offers Wednesday. He signed with Nicholls State. Did the big schools miss another quarterback named Hebert? Time, as it always does, will tell. Reach Rick Cleveland at rclevelandclarionledger.c om work a little harder because we have more to prove." Hebert grew late WWL radio announcer Bobby Hebert, the former Saints quarterback, can relate.

Overlooked by nearby LSU (and nearly everybody else) out of Cutoff, he played his college football at Northwestern (La.) State, where he first became known as the Cajun Cannon. "I didn't play quarterback until my senior year of high school, and then I was only 5-10 and didn't have a hair on my body," said Hebert, who grew to 6-4. "I didn't stop growing until after I was 20. RICK'S Sy a Division of Tire Wheel Life size wall art of your little Says Saints offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, lege recruiting, just like pro scouting, is a very inexact science. Players get missed all the time at both levels and for a lot of reasons." Evans, Kromer says, could be one of the all-time poster children for such misses.

Saints coaches believe Evans may someday go down as one of the greatest offensive guards in NFL history. He is already one of the best in the business. "So many guards either have the athleticism, size and play at this level or they have the intellect or athlete or hunter Digitally Printed Banners Full size vehicle boat wraps eep South 6 made in Mississippi USA Camo Prints, Wall Murals 4206 Lakeland Dr. Flowood 601.939.4055 smarts to get by with what they have," Kromer said. "With Jahri, you get both, the whole deal.

He's so big, so strong and so quick and, besides that, he's so smart. Nobody grades higher. You have to be mighty picky to ever grade him down on a single play." Starts as rookie Evans, who grew up in www.deepsouthpottery.com All of us at Deep South Pottery are proud to have provided our "IndMdual Pasta in the "Forever Hope pattern" designed by Gail Pittman, for the Salvation Army's, "SOUPer Please come along to Trustmark Park this Sunday the 7th of February and support the Salvation Army, and help raise funds to benefit many worthy causes I ball until the 10th grade and thpn nlavinff in a nirknn has- villi juuz-" I I 1 ketball game before his senior season, he suffered a broken kneecap, an injury that required three pins and a screw to repair. "Anybody who knew about me forgot about me," Evans said. "At least Blooms-burg State gave me a chance." There, he drew the interest of NFL scouts and coaches, including Kromer, who then coached at Tampa Bay.

"The problem vou have is DOING THE 1 Vj I MOST GOOD" A Ipt'KT t1 V-JTl 1 il tf i projecting somebody at that level to the next level," ur 5. 2 WHERE: Clinton High School ADMISSION: $10 Friday, February 5 1A. 2A. 3A P.M. lXlUllll jXUU.

ltll.VT 11V. had the size and the quickness; we just didn't know how it would translate to going against NFL defensive tackles." The Saints took Evans in the fourth round with the 108th pick of the draft. He started as a rookie. At least, the big-time col- leges had an excuse for ing on Evans. Not so with Bushrod, who has protected Drew Brees' blindside all season long.

Bushrod played high school ball in King George, where he received some 4 i s- i 1A. 2A.3ABoys -6 P.M. Saturday. February 6 I 4A A.M. interest from Middle Ten- nocEM Qtotp Hi it nn ffftr 4A A.M.

"I was as tall as I am stands 6 feet, 5 inches. "But I wasn't nearly as thick or strong. My high school didn't get much exposure. I guess the big schools just thought I wasn't good enough." SA Pt. 5A P.M.

6A P.M. 6A P.M. Live pay-per-view videostream at psa360.com ORDER ONLINE NOW NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED He became a four-year starter for the Towson State Tigers and another fourth-round steal for the Saints. When former first-rounder Jammal Brown, a Pro Bowler out of Oklahoma, was injured in the Dreseason. Bushrod flood ctarkHiied9ef.com ii-ii-iilW livtiuwU EiwituuiS liidMWj4l Edison Flaza Pearl Man 398 Highway In front of Casttewoods 1430 West 1220 East 51 North Wal-Mart Government Street Northside Drive E53-1351 B32-7272 824-CCS3 002-2001 stepped in and has played winning football the entire season.

A 1 My- I'l 717 West 1 McDowell Road 373-1112 ina yes, ne says, ijuysune me from the small schools.