Battle Creek Enquirer from Battle Creek, Michigan • Page 22

SPORTS 6C Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001 Battle Creek Enquirer SUPER BOWL NOTEBOOK COLLEGE FOOTBALL Tomlinson MVP at Senior Bowl jSiraigiiiisawoe't 1 fake ft easy -on I Giants' Collies ASSOCIATED PRESS will be the target of the Baltimore Associated Press OWINGS MILLS, Md. Tony Siragusa doesn't plan to go easy on New York Giants quarterback Kerry Collins, even after being fined for a punishing hit in an earlier playoff game. Siragusa, the Baltimore Ravens' husky defensive tackle, received the fine for smothering Tennessee's Steve McNair after the quarterback got rid of the ball in an AFC playoff game on Jaa 7. The "Goose" will make much more than $10,000 for playing in the Super Bowl, but that didn't stop him from complaining about being disciplined for doing what he perceives to be part of his job.

"I'm a football player and that's what I do," Siragusa said Friday after the Ravens completed practice in the raia Asked if he would appeal the ruling, he replied, "Without a doubt I might call up O.J.'s crew." Actually, Siragusa was proud of the hit. "I think it was the greatest move I've ever done," he said. "I have it (on tape) at home and I'm trying to get picture by picture as I actually did that I really can't believe that I got 340 pounds that high. I looked like sort of a ballet dancer." Regardless of how it looked, Siragusa had one word for the play: legal "We are taught to play the game a certain way, and we always have beea I am not going to change," he said. "If I was to go and have that play over again, I would hit him the same way.

Even if I got fined $10,000 and or got fined $50,000." Even though he made $1.5 million this year, the fine had an impact on his wallet "I'm ticked off about the 10 grand because I have to pay for nursery school for my daughter," he said. Siragusa is the centerpiece of a Baltimore defensive line that has stuffed the run throughout the season, allowing a record-low 970 yards rushing in a 16-game seasoa Although if seemingly an impossible task to establish the run against the Ravens, Siragusa expects the Giants coach Jim Fassel to allow Tiki Barber to soften up the line with repeated bursts between the tackles. "I think coach Fassel is thinking that we're going to have to run the ball on this team. Even though people think they can't run on us, we're expecting the Giants to come out and prove us wrong," Siragusa said. Siragusa entered the crowded room munching on an egg salad sandwich, which someone mistakenly thought was a pastry.

"That was egg salad. I'm trying to stick with the high protein and stuff like that" he said. "Maybe Til drop a couple of tons before the big game and look svelte in my uniform." SUPER REWARD EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Kerry Collins held up the autographed compact disc at Friday's press sessioa This is one of the all-time coolest things to ever happen to me," Collins said. Forget about the Super Bowl.

Getting a personalized inscription from singer John Mellencamp on his CD, "The Best I Could Do" hit Collins as an even better reward for a Super Bowl season than what awaits in Tampa, Fla. next week. It was that album title which offensive coordinator Sean Payton scribbled atop the NFC Championship game South holds off North, 21-16 Associated Press MOBILE, Ala. There were no quarterbacks to steal LaDainian Tomlinson's thunder this time. The Texas Christian tailback rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown as the South held off the North 21-16 Saturday in the Senior Bowl to earn overall MVP honors.

"This is my last college game, and I went out with the MVP award," said Tomlinsoa the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's leading rusher the past two seasons. "You can't ask for anything better than that" Tomlinson finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting, behind quarterbacks Chris Weinke, Josh Heupel and Drew Brees. Weinke of Florida State and Oklahoma's Heupel withdrew from the game with nagging injuries. Tomlinson's last visit to Ladd-Peebles Stadium also was ruined by an opposing quarterback, when Southern Mississippi's Jeff Kelly threw the game-winning TD pass in the final seconds. "I never thought about it that way," Tomlinson said.

"I just know I had a good game." Two big special teams plays kept the North alive in the fourth quarter. Arizona's Joe Tafoya blocked a punt, and Kansas State's Jerrod Cooper scooped it up for a 30-yard TD to make it 21-16 with 3:31 to play. "The South came out a little lax thinking they'd already won the game," Cooper said "So we just tried to pour it on them." The South's Cory Bird of Virginia Tech recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the offense failed to get a first dowa Then Cooper got a hand on David Leaverton's punt, giving the North and quarterback Mike McMahon of Rutgers one last chance from their own 23 with 2:40 left McMahon, who was 4-of-io for 57 41, Pittsburgh's Kevan Barlow was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-3- Washington's Marques Tuia-sosopo also was absent with an injury, while the leading career rushers at Michigan (Anthony Thomas) and Tennessee (Travis Henry) didn't play. The South's defensive MVP was Mississippi State cornerback Fred Smoot and the offensive MVP was Tennessee receiver Cedrick Wilson. The trash-talking Smoot had three solo tackles and several pass deflections down the field.

"You know all I was going to do was play the way I can play," Smoot said. "If I got the MVP or not, you know I was going to think I was MVP." Oklahoma linebacker Torrance Marshall continued a nice postseason run. The Orange Bowl MVP intercepted a pass and was voted North defensive MVP. Maryland tailback Lamont Jordan ran nine times for 62 yards and caught three passes for 29 yards. His 7-yard TD late in the third quarter capped a 15-play, 62-yard drive that consumed nearly eight minutes.

He converted two fourth-down plays with an 8-yard run and a 15-yard reception to keep the drive alive. Quarterback Jesse Palmer of Florida, a late addition to the South squad with Weinke's exit led touchdown drives on two of his three first-half possessions. He was 4-of-5 for 38 yards. He spent a portion of the day handing off to Travis Minor from the Gators' arch enemy, Florida State, and two of his completions went to Tennessee's Wilson. "It's nice to actually be playing with them instead of against them," said Palmer, who scored on a 6-yard run.

Tomlinson opened the scoring with a l-yard run, bouncing off three tacklers after Kansas State's David Allen fumbled the kickoff early in the first quarter. Tomlinson also had a 28-yard Capers plays expansion game again Giants quarterback Kerry Collins defense at the Super Bowl. plaa Payton and Collins later gave the album some national publicity, saying the title signified the Giants falling back to plays they've executed well all seasoa Payton also received an inscribed CD. "Those guys are pretty proud of that, and they should be," coach Jim Fassel said. "I told Kerry he could have that CD because a few years ago, I got Man of the Year at a banquet in New York and Vanessa Williams got Woman of the Year.

She signed her CD to me, and I've still got that one." INJURY REPORT Wide receiver Amani Toomer (ankle), cornerback Reggie Stephens (heel), fullback Greg Cornelia (bruised buttocks) and free safety Shaun Williams (hamstring) missed their third day of practice. Fassel said he'll decide over the ed three linemen to seven Pro Bowl starts. In his 14-year NFL career as a tight end with Minnesota, Seattle and Washingtoa Tice caught 107 passes for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns. Browns defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will interview early this week, Tennessee defensive coordinator Gregg Williams on Monday, New Orleans offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy on Tuesday, and San Francisco offensive coordinator Mary Mornhinweg on Wednesday. Browns president Carmen Policy said he will wait until after the Super Bowl to interview Baltimore defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis.

Policy said he might also interview both New York Giants coordinators Sean Payton on offense and John Fox on defense but has not yet asked the team's per-missioa The Browns fired Chris Palmer totaled 31 points or less. The trademark of those Super Bowls was in-your-face, smash-mouth football It should be pointed out that for all the high-powered offense gen yards, hit Chad Johnson of Oregon State across the middle for a 29- yard gain to move it into South territory. After two incompletions and a 7- yarder to Johnson took it to the 'WZ hZ Texans expected to introduce new coach todav Associated Press HOUSTON If Dom Capers does as well with his second expansion team as he did with the first the Houston Texans should have no complaint Now the defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Capers is expected to be introduced Sunday as coach of the Texans, who begin play in 2002. Capers led the Carolina Panthers to a 7-9 showing the best ever by a first-year team in their inaugural season of 1995. A year later, he earned coach of the year honors in the NFL after the Panthers won the NFC West with a 12-4 record and advanced to the title game, where they lost to eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay.

weekend whether he wants them to practice Monday in Tampa. With the players having Tuesday off, keeping them on the sidelines Monday would give them an extra 48 hours to rest their aches. None are expected to miss the game. MEDIA CRUSH The real media crush still lies ahead of the Giants. But Fassel said he's had a good taste of it during the bye week, which concludes with a final workout Saturday at the Giants Stadium practice bubble.

"Without a doubt, this has been the most hectic week I've spent in coaching," Fassel said. "With all that's going on, the game plans, the organization, the interviews, it's constant There's no stop time. "I'm looking forward to thinking a little bit that second week Reflect What am I going to do in situational things? I haven't had time to play this game in my mind." last week after he went 5-27 in two seasons. GIANTS COORDINATOR TO TALK WITH BILLS EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox will interview for the Buffalo Bills' head coaching job.

Fox received permission from the Giants to meet with the Bills after the Super Bowl, an NFL source said Friday on the condition of anonymity. Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi refused to comment. Giants coach Jim Fassel has refused to let his assistant coaches talk to the media except after games. Buffalo general manager Tom Donahoe was not immediately available for comment He is attending the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Bills spokesman Mark Dalton said Donahoe has refused to comment on potential candidates until he met with them.

erated by the St. Louis Rams in the last Super Bowl the most memorable play was a game-saving tackle by Mike Jones on the l-yard line as time ran out. Jones, of course, plays defense. 1C3 (616) 962-7779 jl Defense could be key to Super Bowl ASSOCIATED PRESS The South Squad's LaDainian Tomlinson (5) of Texas Christian runs out of the tackle of the North Squad's Kris Jenkins (57) of Maryland in the first half of the Senior Bowl. reception.

"I just wanted to catch the ball out of the backfield and run routes," he said. "They already know I can run." Lyons Inc. Stanley Horn A. sifts- 1 1 I NFL ROUNDUP Capers, fired after the Panthers went 4-12 in 1998, agreed Friday on a six-year contract with Texans owner Bob McNair and general manager Charley Casserly. Although some matters remain to be completed, McNair was so convinced of the hiring Friday that he scheduled a news conference for Sunday.

"Discussions are progressing very welL" he said. "We have reached agreement on the financial terms, but there are other terms still being negotiated" BROWNS TO INTERVIEW VIKINGS OFFENSIVE UNE COACH CLEVELAND The Browns added Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Mike Tice to the list of candidates they will interview for head coach this week. Tice has been a Vikings assistant coach since 1996 and has guid "Seems like he was right. It wins championships, doesn't it?" Lee Rov Jordan Former Dallas Cowboy concerning Tom Landry's saying that 'defense wins championships' "What'd Minnesota have, 45 total yards at halftime?" he said That was complete control They (the Giants) stymied everything. The Ravens did the same thing to Oakland" When the Super Bowl matchup was set Las Vegas put the over-under at a modest 34 points.

That was a tribute to these two defenses. It's been 26 years since two teams in this game have scored fewer points than that Teams were more diligent about defense three decades ago and seem almost casual about it now. That's what makes the old-school approach of the Giants and Ravens so fascinating. For seven straight years early in the Super Bowl series, from Ioe Namath's guarantee in 1969 to the start of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Steel Curtain dynasty in 1975, defense ruled In each of those games, the teams INVESTMENT ADVICE RETIREMENT ROLLOVERS Heritage Chevrolet, Inc. Collision Paint rrr All Makes Models All Insurance Work Welcomed (616)964-9431 'M Our Success Depends On Your Satisfaction -Mta PCirtS eTHINO lTTlTMNQICINAt QfTK JJ.B Hilliard W.L.

W1I HARD 55 Hamblin Avenue tCtiCNo Battle Creek, Michigan DfONS (616)660-9400 Since 1854 1-800-276-4254 Member NYSE and SIPC SUPER, FROM 1C There is a popular saying around football, credited to Tom Landry, who designed Dallas' Doomsday Defense three decades ago: offense wins games; defense wias cham-pioaships. "Seems like he was right" Jordan said "It wins championships, doesn't it?" It did for the Ravens and Giants. Jordan remembered how Landry always preached defense first The first thing was to control the run and make them pass," he said That creates turnovers. We could force turnovers when they have second-and-long, third-and-long and had to throw. It worked for a long time We had a good defensive team that made things happea With a little offense, we would have won several more Super Bowls." One of them might have been in 1971.

That game was decided Stratum will be happy to learn, on a 32-yard field goal by Jim O'Brien with five seconds left Final score: Baltimore 16, Dallas 13. Critics complained about that game because there were sue interceptions and five fumbles. What caused all the turnovers, though, was tough, determined defense by both teams. Landry called it the hardest hitting, most physical football game he had ever seen, decided on defense, much the same way the Ravens and Giants win. Jordan has watched both teams and been impressed by their defensive games.

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