Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 45

PENS) COL A TNews Journal SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 1999 SECTION To report a story: 435-8521 Can Earnhardt carry it over? Dale Earnhardt hopes Saturday's IROC victory is a hint of things to come in today's DieHard 500. Auto Racing, 3D '11 LISA OLSON Commentary Report: Elway will retire mmm i.n nuiiiin.i i "4 JT if mm I Broncos to Super Bowl victories the past two The Denver week, but delayed it, sources said, first because Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was out of town, and then because of the school shootings in suburban Denver on Tuesday. Last weekend, during the NFL draft, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said he expected Elway to make his decision known before the team's minicamp, which opens Friday. Famous for improbable late- Associated Press John Elway celebrated winning his second Super Bowl title in January. Elway was named MVP as Denver beat Atlanta.

llfiifflfKl: "I've never looked at myself as handicapped. Do other people? Not if Gulf Breeze baseball player Sean Branch, who was born without a right hand By John Mossman Associated Press DENVER John Elway, the master of the late-game rally, has apparently run out of comebacks. Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity late Friday told The Associated Press the 38-year-old Elway has told family and friends that he won't be back for the 1999 season. Elway led the Denver V- 5V. On the Ward needs to grow up, buy a robe NEW YORK Here's a dirty little secret: I have never seen Charlie Ward naked.

And the Good Lord willing, I will live to be a ripe old age without ever seeing Charlie Ward naked. The New York Knicks' point guard would have you believe the locker room is akin to a big ol' brothel, with players doing strip teases while we women stand around and leer. That is, when we're not conducting interviews and doing live shots and rushing to make 1 a.m. deadlines. The part of the myth that Ward conveniently forgets to mention is that most teams have more side rooms in which to escape than the Royal Palace has tunnels.

He also seems to have overlooked this great new invention called a bathrobe. Patrick Ewing wears this ratty old blue one after every game. From our vantage point, it could not be more chic. There might be women who hang around the Garden who have seen Ewing in the buff, but they sure aren't reporters. Private agenda Ward, if you haven't heard, is in a snit over female journalists invading his place of work, which is ludicrous for its timing alone given the Knicks' many real problems.

Could it be that Ward is particularly upset with one reporter from another paper who has penned some critical articles about him and the team, and this is his way of striking out at her? Is this why he has hired a public relations firm, because he knows his words and his true motive have backfired? Until now I have kept mum on this subject, mainly out of self-preservation. The" last time I spoke up about athletes behaving badly in the work place, in 1991, the backlash was so severe I ended up moving out of the country. And you know what, Charlie? Everywhere I went from cricket pitches in Pakistan to rugby fields in New Zealand there were women setting up cable lines and lugging around camera equipment and talking into microphones and filing stories for newspapers. It was truly a liberating experience, one that made me stop doubting my career choice and realize that minds like yours are so very small in the great scheme of things. But thanks to troglodytes like you, the creepy phone calls have started again.

Here comes another pile of disgusting letters from men who write obscene rape fantasies of what they would do to a woman in a locker room. There is no way to reason with such ignorance. Daddy's wrong Luckily, most athletes today get the drill. They recognize that being available to the media for a league-imposed amount of time is part of the contract. They don't have to talk, and I suppose they can stand on the bench and do the funky chicken if they so desire, but that says more about them than the people who are there to do the interviews.

In Ward's world, I guess he'd rather have thousands of women across the United States put out of work than bother with a robe for all of a few minutes. I wonder what his wife, a lawyer, thinks of this? Let's hope his daughter never dreams of covering the Final Four for CBS, or the America's Cup for ESPN, or the Super Bowl for Fox. Because all of those events involve going into the locker room at one time or another, and it sure doesn't bode well for her as long as daddy insists on spreading slanderous nonsense to the next generation of athletes. We do it because we love writing and producing and filming and talking about sports. Not because we might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Ward in a towel.

Lisa Olson writes tor the New York Daily News. game magic, Elway rallied his teams to numerous memorable come-from-behind victories. Rumors about Elway's fixture have swirled after each of the last two NFL seasons, with Elway himself fueling some of the speculation by hedging his words about the subject of retirement when questioned. INSIDE: Elway was king of comebacks, 6D Mobile wins 1st at home By Bill Vilona News Journal staff writer MOBILE, Ala. Sean Liss never even attempted a field goal during his tenure at Florida State.

But it's the reason he's launched a pro career, and the Mobile Admirals were certainly glad for his leg Saturday night after holding off the Shreveport Knights 15-7 in their Regional Football League game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Liss, the Seminoles' former punter (1993-96), booted three field goals in the Admirals' home debut before an announced crowd of 13,256. The more realistic attendance was about 5,000 less, vr that, howev- DU3U er, matter for Liss, whose previous field goal experience came at Boca Ciega High School in St. Petersburg, where he was a prep All-American. He won a dual-role with the Admirals, beating out former Alabama star Michael Proctor, because of his versatility.

"It's kinda like punting is my job and kicking extra points, field goals and kicking off is the fun part for said Liss. "When they called us in during training camp, they told us they were only going to keep one guy. "I felt bad for Michael because he and I ran kicking camps at Auburn and Alabama the last couple years and we became good friends. This See ADMIRALS, 6D Associated Press HIS 'A' GAME: Gabe Gross impressed Coach Tommy Tuberville in Auburn's A-Day game Saturday. Story, 6D Fans speak out I think the Toronto Raptors will make a strong run at the NBA championship.

Vince Carter seems to be the real deal. He's a Tar Heel, so maybe he is the next Michael -Jordan. Odie Smith, Pensacola. TODAY'S TOPIC: With reports that John Elway will retire Monday, what is your favorite Elway memory? To comment, leave a voice-mail message at 469-8292 with your name, telephone number anci hometown. Or you can fax comments at 435-8633 or e-mail at pnjsportgulfsurf.infi.net.

Jy Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post also cited unidentified sources who said Elway's re- Elway tirement was imminent. Elway considered making an announcement this past inside JUST SAY JESPER Jesper Parnevik of Sweden shot a 5-under 67 Saturday during the third round of the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, lowering his overall score to a 54-hole record total of 21 -under. He is three shots ahead of Jim Furyk. Golf, 6D ALSO The West Florida men's tennis team advances to the GSC finals. Story, 7D Fernando Tatis became the first player in Major League history to hit two grand slams in one inning.

Story, 5D JliyillliAUIHUHIIII 7 they know me." hand Off the court GATORS LAND PREP HOOPS ALL-AMERICAN Donnell Harvey, the 1999 Naismith Prep Basketball Player of the Year and the 1999 USA Today Prep Basketball Player of the Year, officially became a Florida Gator on Friday. Harvey, a 6-foot-8 forward from Cuthbert, actually signed in a ceremony at the school on Wednesday, but his mother could not sign the paperwork right away because she had to work. He is the fourth All-American to sign with Florida in Coach Billy Donovan's three seasons in Gainesville. By Doug Haller News Journal staff writer his is a baseball story. We know this because that's what we see.

In front of us, 18 members of the Gulf Breeze baseball team warm up, catching and throwing, back and forth, as if it were as easy as waking up each morning. We scan the players, admiring their form, one by one. Then we stop. One player seems different. His release is the same.

His speed is the same. But for some reason, we're captivated, oblivious to the trap we've entered. It's not until Coach Dan Noonan begins practice that we discover the truth. Sean Branch, a junior Dolphin, -doesn't have a right hand. While his teammates perform ambidextrously, Sean catches with his left, removes the glove, holds' it against his stomach, and unleashes with the same hand.

It happens so quickly, we've hardly noticed. "Kind of amazing, isn't it?" Noonan says as he walks from the dugout. "You should see him field a ball in the outfield. He gets the ball, drops his glove and throws it just about as quick as anybody else on the team. It's really neat to watch." OK, so maybe this isn't just about baseball.

It's about Sean Branch, and how he's overcome a birth defect to earn a varsity spot as a reserve pitcher, first baseman and outfielder. His statistics aren't so great. Heck, he's only batted twice, but that's not the point. The point is he's out there. He's competing.

And so we glance back at Sean Branch and find the image has changed. Instead of a baseball player, we now see an overachiever. A hard worker who won't let disadvantage devour his dreams. Suddenly, we see a hero. We're not the first to discover this.

Just a month ago, Santa Rosa County made Sean a Dreamer and Doer, an honor awarded to the student-athlete who excels most in life. You may have seen the announcement on the school's marquee. It was there for See BRANCH, 7D On the field AMERICAN LEAGUE Boston 9, Cleveland 4 New York 7, Toronto 4 Oakland 3, Baltimore 0 Chicago 3, Detroit 1 Kansas City 4, Anaheim 3 Seattle 9, Tampa Bay 4 Texas 7, Minnesota 2 NATIONAL LEAGUE Houston 4, Cincinnati 3 Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 3 Chicago 2, New York 0 '-T San Francisco 8, Colorado 4 Philadelphia 6, Montreal 5 Atlanta 8, Florida 7 Arizona at San Diego, (n) St. Louis at Los Angeles, (n) Major League roundup, 4D Scott FisherNews Journal Gulf Breeze baseball player Sean Branch, who was born without a right hand, has learned to field a baseball, flip off his glove and make a throw all in one motion using his left hand. Branch plays first base and outfield and also pitches for the Dolphins.

On the air 8 a.m. European Tour Golf, Peugeot Open de Espana, The Golf Channel Noon Auto Racing, Winston Cup Series, Diehard 500, WEAR-ABC Noon Men's tennis, U.S. Clay Court Championship, WKRG-CBS 1 :20 p.m. Major League Baseball, N.Y Mets at Chicago Cubs, WGN 3 p.m. Major League Baseball, Atlanta at Florida, TBS Complete listings, 2D SCORELINE: Call 469-8290, then press code 3001 -A.