South Florida Sun Sentinel du lieu suivant : Fort Lauderdale, Florida • Page 50

MS Sun-Sentmel. Fndav. October 2. 1998 11C DOLPHINS NOTEBOOK BEATifTHE EXPERTS FOOTBALL CONTEST Copeland returns home 1 I.IIJIIU I. I John Greene of Pompano Beach "Beat the Experts!" He compiled a 1 2-1 -37 record to win the fourth week of Beat the Experts against 3,298 other contestants.

John collects $100, College Bowl tickets, and an "I Beat the Experts" t-shirt. The actual tiebreaker was 78. This week's runners-up and "I Beat the Experts" t-shirt winners are: Runncrs-up Hometown Record Scott Hutchcson Hollywood 12-1-1 Michael Arons Lake Worth 11-2-50 John Forget Coconut Creek 11-2-49 Joseph Lamonica Oakland Park 11-2-48 Unavailable at presstime 1 1-2-47 Maurice Angrist Coconut Creek 11-2-45 Donald G. Brown Coconut Creek 1 1 -2-43 Louise Freed Boca Raton 11-2-43 Nell VVhiteley Boca Raton 11-2-42 PatBenes Margate 11-2-35 Staff photoROBERT MAYER Horace Copeland signed a 2-year deal. Sun-Sentinel Official Newspaper of the Fan.

mmmmm mm? Dolphins since signing in 1995. "Wide receiver was all right I think I'm a good enough athlete to play there, but one week it would be good and the next it wouldn't" The good came during the team's offseason minicamps, in which Dar Dar was so good that Johnson said he considered Dar Dar a starter. The bad came in training camp, when Dar Dar began to drop passes and lose confidence. Dar Dar was excellent on special teams in 1996, blocking one punt and becoming the team's top "flyer" on punt coverage. "Dar Dar was struggling at receiver," Johnson said.

"So really his value to the team was on special teams, and when Jacquet came on like he did, it gave us two players that were outstanding flyers. That was a little too much luxury to have two players of that nature, especially when Nate is a better receiver." McDuffie wants to play After being held out of Wednesday's practice because of a sprained ankle, wide receiver O.J. McDuffie ran Thursday morning and participated in the day's practice on limited basis. "It went well, really well," McDuffie said. "Things look real good for this weekend." McDuffie, listed as questionable for Sunday's game, said he feels about 85 percent after receiving treatment since he first sustained the injury in Monday's practice.

He said he expects to play Sunday against the Jets. Etc. Wide receiver Oronde Gadsden banged his right knee late in practice, but he was able to walk off under his own power. "It looks like a bruise more than anything else," Johnson said. Linebacker Zach Thomas is the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.

In three games, Thomas has a team-high 37 tackles, one sack, an interception (which he returned 17 yards for a touchdown), two passes defended and six quarterback hurries. After saying Wednesday's practice wasn't as sharp as he would like, Johnson said Thursday's practice was improved. "We had much better work Thursday," Johnson said. "I really liked the players' effort. I thought they executed a lot better, and they're getting ready to play." Staff Writer Jason Cole contributed to this report.

By CESAR BRIOSO Staff Writer DAVIE As teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lamar Thomas and Horace Copeland, who played together at the University of Miami, used to joke about returning to South Florida and catching passes from Dan Marino. Thomas got his opportunity when he signed with the Dolphins in 1996, and now Copeland will get the chance, as well. The Dolphins signed Copeland, released by the Bucs before the season, to a two-year contract on Thursday. To make room on the 53-man roster, the Dolphins released wide receiver Kirby Dar Dar. "It was a blessing to get another opportunity," Copeland said.

"It's a good feeling. I feel like I'm home here because I know so many people. It's a great feeling." Said Thomas: "It's nice to have him here. It's like a dream come true for both of us. I'm happy for him.

I know he'll be able to contribute and help us out." A fourth-round draft pick of the Bucs in 1993, Copeland had his best season as a rookie, catching 30 passes for 633 yards and four touchdowns. He started two games in '94 and seven in '95, catching 35 passes for 605 yards and two touchdowns. But he spent the 1996 season on injured reserve after rupturing the patella tendon in his left knee. Copeland returned last season to play in 13 games with 11 starts, but got squeezed out after the Bucs picked former University of Florida receiver Jacquez Green in the second round of the draft. "We feel that Horace can help us as far as upgrading the receiver corps," coach Jimmy Johnson said.

"It's a situation where he'll probably be inactive for a time while he learns the offense, but if we have an injury, I think he can help us later in the season." No place for Dar Dar Dar Dar's release completed his fall from offseason starter to non-factor. He was a special teams maven for the Dolphins in the past and received an award in the offseason for his rehabilitation from knee surgery in 1997. But in recent weeks, Dar Dar's play declined and he was replaced in his special teams role by Nate Jacquet. While obviously disappointed by the move, Dar Dar said Erickson may be put on IR DAVIE Quarterback Craig Erickson on Thursday threw in a mid-week practice for the first time in at least two weeks, but coach Jimmy Johnson indicated that the Dolphins might place him on injured reserve if he can't continue throwing during the week. On IR, he would be ineligible to return this season.

"As long as he can go throw in practice, that's fine," Johnson said. "If he's not practicing, we'll see." Erickson has been bothered by a sore throwing elbow since the start of the season and he's listed as probable for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Erickson came into training camp as Dan Marino's backup, but the injury has forced the Dolphins to make him No. 3 behind Damon Huard the first three games. Johnson said Erickson's ability to throw each week has been "sporadic" at best.

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"I think that's where I really can make some plays," said Dar Dar, who has been a receiver for the EXCURSIONS: Not included $18 Bohomos dtoortuie loxoirporl le; 15 meal qrotuily. Weekend day excursions higher. Effective now thru Inn 28, 1959. Subject to change, ovoilobilily, restrictions, terms 8 conditions. Cancellation lees moy opply.

No Iree baggage allowance on excursions. Represented by fnncess Vocations, lac. Higbls via IB ltd. (toimedy laker Annoys pnomosl ltd), rioot ot cilHensnip is required. WORD WAR I Testaverde to be starter thinks he's better than Jerry Rice." Then again, Madison is not one to back down.

"Sam gets it going, all right," Buckley said. "That's good because everybody thought I was the big talker. Now he's stepping up and taking over. It's good to see that because it gets you going. He'll come back to the huddle and say something and that just gets you going." Like what? Most lines have to do with coverage, such as the one where Madison talks about "choking" a receiver.

Choking, as in cutting off every bit of room to run a route. "Sam will come back and say, 'I was choking him so good I left handprints on his Or he'll say he was covering the guy so good, he was running the routes, like the quarterback told him the pattern," Buckley said. "That's a competitive thing within your own team when you hear that." Don't expect Madison to back down verbally. Buckley put him at the top of the team in gabbing, just ahead of Danny Stubbs. Madison claimed he ranked no better than No.

6 on the list. Safety Calvin Jackson served as the final judge. After being asked who reigned supreme, Jackson throught for a minute, looked down and pointed a finger at Madison. "Right here," Jackson said. FROM PAGE 1C Madison, Johnson gear up for battle of the mouthpieces with the defensive backs.

He does that to Aaron Glenn every day in practice and Aaron Glenn doesn't like it. He pushes him and shoves him." Then again, Johnson thinks he is the best, period. "The way he talks, it's a little strange," said Buckley, who will also see his share of Johnson. The Jets mostly use Johnson as the weakside receiver but also flop their formations to put Johnson on the right side from time to time. "Keyshawn will do things like ask you questions," Buckley said.

"He's talking, but he's sort of not. It's weird. He'll say, 'You think you're pretty good, or, 'I must be the best receiver you've ever faced, He did this to me last year. He came up to the line and said, 'You must be pretty good if they're putting you on No, Johnson does not lack for confidence. Most of the time, it's pure arrogance.

"He thinks he's the world's best football player," Madison said. "He The Associated Press HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. Glenn Foley's ribs haven't healed sufficiently to satisfy New York Jets coach Bill Parcells, who will turn to Vinny Testaverde again at quarterback. Parcells said Thursday that Testaverde, who threw four touchdown passes in place of Foley in a 44-6 rout of Indianapolis on Sept. 20, would start against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Foley, who came into the season as the No. 1 quarterback and threw for 415 yards and three touchdowns in the opener at San Francisco, separated rib cartilage in a Week 2 loss to Baltimore. He says he is healthy now. But Parcells isn't convinced. "I have a pretty strong degree of uncertainty about Glenn's ability to execute the offense," Par-cells said.

Wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, who has a sprained ankle, will be active, but probably won't start. He's more likely to be the third receiver in most situations. Linebacker James Farrior, who has a sprained knee, has practiced, but Parcells is not optimistic on his availability. TT. tUJffiLJ -w mm i- U1UULL I i i KI-f fcl-i i hi A GOLF CLUB CONCORDE A October 21 October 31 A 9th Annual South Florida Yv Senior Games Sun-Sentinel invites you to participate in fy- -m more than 70 athletic and leisure competi- tions for people 50 years of age and over.

Winners from qualifying events may compete T. jn tne Florida Senior Games State i. JM Lit I. 4 Championship in December! SENIOR GAMES Featuring bowling, track, bake-off, fine arts, golf, tennis, bridge, racewalking, table tennis, sailing and much, much morel October 21 Spectacular opening ceremony at Blockbuster Golf and Games October 31 Closing ceremony at Port Everglades. For further information call (954) 761-5383 or (954) 357 8170.

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