Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • 13

'A. iyfT o)r If1 Oil J- 0 Jj IB WF nil II Columnist Starting question 2a The coach did reveal that Brady would have been healthy enough to -tv-i Patriots' coach mum on QB pick The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS Nothing like a great quarterback debate to get Super Bowl week off to a hot start. And nothing like a coach seasoned in the art of evasion to draw out the drama a few more days. Tom Brady or Drew Bledsoe? New England coach Bill Belichick wasn't saying Monday at a brief news conference to mark his arrival in New Orleans. All he promised was an answer by the end of practice Wednesday.

The rest of the 20-minute session was an exercise in futility Ten times, reporters tried to ask, trick or cajole Belichick into an answer about the quarterbacks. Each time, the veteran Super Bowl XXXVI New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams, 6 p.m. Sunday, New Orleans Line: Rams by 14 coach straight from the Bill Parcells school of information distribution -dodged and parried the questions, using just about every tactic short of pleading the Fifth Amendment.

"I'm sure a lot of people want more information than I'm able to give you right now," Belichick said. Tower of power return after his second-quarter injury in the 24-17 victory over the Steelers on Sunday uraay waiKea ott the air- ft plane Monday showing no signs of iniurv. Was the injury serious enough anMRI? to warrant an "Not that I'm aware of," Belichick said. How was the quarterback feel- Please see PatriotsB2 Quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe, left, finished Sunday, but Tom Brady says he could have gone back into the game. v.

rf (' I finding going to the air is costly If you are driving around most Monday nights between 7 and 8 o'clock and surfing the radio for sports, you probably stumble onto the James Madison University coach's show with basketball coach Sherman Dillard. WGH-AM, the area's only all-sports station and most prominent radio sports presence, carries the JMU coach's show almostevery Monday All of the Dukes' football games were broadcast on WGH (ESPN 1310) last fall and all of their basketball games this season. Folks in Hampton Roads can hear all the JMU football and basketball they want on WGH. Meanwhile, people in Newport News and Hampton have to wear aluminum foil suits and climb up on their roofs in order to pick up the broadcasts of William and Mary games over WWBR, a relatively small FM station based in Williamsburg. William and Mary and JMU are traditional rivals with comparable athletic programs.

They compete in the same leagues. So how is it that a school three hours from the Peninsula, four from WGH's studio in Virginia Beach, has far greater exposure in this area than William and Mary in its own back yard? Two reasons: Money, priorities. James Madison pays for air-time on WGH and choses to make this region a priority. Not counting the Shenandoah Valley around Harrisonburg, Hampton Roads is JMU's third-largest alumni base. Football coach Mickey Matthews and assistant Curt Newsome have cultivated the area in recruiting, and two JMU basketball starters, David Fanning and Ian Caskill, are from the Southside.

"From the JMU standpoint, we feel very fortunate to have a presence in that area," said JMU's Curt Dudley, who helps oversee broadcasting. "The only other place we could do better is if we had a similar outlet in northern Virginia." Not only does JMU pay for air-time, it gives WGH a portion of its commercial slots during broadcasts so that the station may sell its own advertising. "We feel like it's a good arrangement for both sides," said Andy Graham, president and station manager of the six-station group that includes WGH. William and Mary's broadcast presence it can hardly be called a network anymore has dwindled considerably. Time was when William and Mary games could be heard on stations in Williamsburg, Norfolk, Richmond, Lynchburg, northern Virginia and even Havre de Grace, courtesy of a generous alum.

The low point came in May when WXGM, the Gloucester-based station that had served as flagship station since 1992, severed ties with the school and signed a deal to broadcast Christopher Newport football and basketball WXGM had paid William and Mary annual broadcast rights, approximately $12,000 a year according to sources, and was responsible for advertising sales. CNU turned the tables, offering to pay WXGM and to help sell advertising to boot. William and Mary was forced to scramble for a radio home and came up with WWBR-FM late in the summer. The Tribe's "network" consists of one weak local station, one in Lynchburg and an audio link off of the athletic department Web site. "Obviously, we'd like to have a radio network and we'd like to get more people to follow us," Tribe athletic director Terry Driscoll said.

"We reacted as best we could and now, in some respects, we're trying to dig out of the hole we may have gotten ourselves into." Tribe coaches are reluctant to criticize the present arrangement, since minimal exposure is better than none at all. Driscoll said the department is working toward expanding its footprint. As the number of radio outlets and local programming shrink, William and Mary must take its cue from James Madison and CNU. You may have a great school, good coaches, interesting athletes and a worthwhile message, but the market rules. If you want people to hear you play it's going to cost you Dave Fairbank can be reached at 247-4637 or by e-mail at dfaiibankdailypress.com v-4 Kenneth SilverDaily Press Wyatt, who took a recruiting visit to N.C.

State over the weekend, showed that leadership in triggering a comeback against the Clippers with 13 kills, seven digs, and inspiring talk. After the Clippers took a 14-9 lead in the opening game, Wyatt refused to let up or let her teammates give up in the game. "She never gives up," teammate Ashley Erickson said. "When we're down, she pumps us up. She makes us smile and laugh." Please see WyattB5 win, send David Johnson (12), Mackel Purvis (11), and Dwayne McNeal (10).

After watching his team drop to 5-14 overall, 5-5 MEAC, Rattlers coach Mike Giilespie wondered aloud whether anyone in the conference can end the Pirates' unbeaten run. "I'm not sure they can be beaten," he said. They re going to win the league and get the No. 1 seed in the (MEAC) tournament Right now they're head and shoulders above the rest of the league." Adams said he hopes Mon 71 Jamestown's Casey Wyatt yells encouragement to teammates during a recent volleyball match. Behind Wyatt is Stefanie Deitrich (5).

Jamestown's Wyatt has a hand in every outcome of a match nil) the Bay Rivers title with Lafayette, is huge. With Wyatt out of the lineup with a bad ankle, the defending champs lost their opening game Nov. 30 to the Rams With Wyatt back on Jan. 10, the Eagles handed the league-leading Rams their only loss of the season, 15-6, 16-14. "Casey affects the outcome of every game; she dominates the game," Reinagel said after her senior middle hitter led the Eagles to a 16-14, 15-12 road win against a dangerous Grafton 11 Buddy NonteDaily Press Hampton's Mackel Purvis dive for a game.

team on Thursday The victory extended the Eagles' win streak to nine games and left them at 11-2, a half game behind Lafayette going into Monday night's game against Tabb. In the must-win against Grafton, Wyatt played almost flawlessly with booming kills, impressive digs and effective serves. "Casey's such a great player," Reinagel said. "She has the ability to hit a ball from anywhere on the court. She's also a leader on the court." Hampton men message to MEAC rivals By Ed Richards Daily Press Jamestown coach Theresa Reinagel doesn't hesitate in calling the Eagles' Casey Wyatt the best volleyball player in the Bay Rivers District.

Maybe the best in the state. Last year, Wyatt made all-district, all-region, and all-state. And this year, she's better an intimidating force at she is smashing overheads that have resulted in 79 kills in 22 games. Her value to the Eagles, in a fight for Florida Dominique Jackson and loose ball during Monday night's MEAC ft ft yjl 1 I By Marty O'Brien Daily Press HAMPTON After rolling through the first half of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule unbeaten, Hampton University's men's basketball team sent a message that it's not going to let up one bit the second half. The Pirates made their statement with a 97-65 rout of Florida in front of 3,152 at the Convocation Center on Monday night.

The Pirates (15-5) improved to 10-0 in the MEAC to Hampton Next vs. State, 4 Saturday. U. game: Morgan p.m. increase their lead over idle Delaware State to 2i2 games.

Tommy Adams led the Pirates with 17 points. Joining Adams in double figures were teammates Devin Green (16 day's performance alerts the conference that the Pirates aren't taking their place atop the standings for granted. "We wanted to send a signal that Please see HamptonB5 points), Barry Hairston (13 points), i.