The Times from Munster, Indiana • 268

today'squote "The fact of the matter is Roger's 43 years old we're not talking about somebody in the middle of a great career. We're talking about somebody who's at the end of a great career." Astros GM Tim Purpura on Roger Clemens, who wasn't offered arbitration by the team sportnews.nwitimes.com PO THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 2005 PAGE C2 Pro football College football BARNETT STILL WORKING AMID REPORTS HE COULD BE OUT: Gary Barnett slipped out his office through a side door Wednesday evening, still the football coach at Colorado but with his future uncertain amid reports he could be fired soon. Barnett, who left with his attorney, John Rodman, refused to comment on a report in the Denver Post on Wednesday that said a source close to contract negotiations "indicated" that Barnett will not be brought back to coach the Buffaloes. CU closed its season with consecutive losses to Iowa State, Nebraska and Texas by a combined score of 130-22. The source, which the newspaper did not identify, said the poor finish was the final straw.

Barnett has one year remaining on his contract and had looked to be in line for an extension until the end of the season. Athletic director Mike Bohn, who arrived back in Colorado from meetings in New York, called the Post report "speculation." BUSH, LEINART AND YOUNG ARE HEISMAN FINALISTS: The Heisman Trophy competition is a three-man race -just as it's been all season. Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart of Southern California will be back in New York on Saturday, along with Texas quarterback Vince Young, when the Heisman Trophy is awarded to the nation's best college football player. The Downtown Athletic Club, which hands out the sport's most prestigious individual award, invited Wednesday only those three players to the presentation Last season, five players attended the Heisman ceremony and Leinart won it. Since 1999, either four or five finalists have been invited to New York.

Bush, Leinart and Young have been the front-runners since the preseason, and they've been jockeying for position all year. The two USC stars said they were proud to be returning to the ceremony. "It was a great experience last year, seeing Matt win it," said Bush, who finished fifth in the 2004 voting. Major League Baseball METS CUT TIES WITH PIAZZA: Mike Piazza's days with the New York Mets are over. The Mets declined Wednesday to offer salary arbitration to their longtime catcher, cutting ties with one of the best hitters in franchise history.

The move was no surprise, and now the 12-time All-Star is likely to join an American League team that can use him as a designated hitter. The Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays are among the clubs that could be interested. LORETTA TO BOSTON FOR MIRABELLI: The San Diego Padres traded second baseman Mark Loretta to Boston on Wednesday for catcher Doug Mirabelli, giving the Red Sox a quick fix in their infield while they consider bigger deals that would remake the club. The Red Sox have been shopping outfielder Manny Ramirez and pitcher David Wells, and negotiating with free agent Johnny Damon. The team has also discussed trading shortstop Edgar Renteria, its prize free agent just a year ago.

L.T. GETS THE BUSINESS IN THE RIBS FROM A RAIDER: Now it can be told: LaDainian Tomlinson's bruised ribs were caused by a little extracurricular activity at the end of a play against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday night. Earlier this week, a viewer e-mailed ABC affiliate KGTV, saying that footage showed Raiders linebacker Danny Clark sticking his knuckles into the side of the Chargers' star running back. "I will say somebody must be paying close attention to the play if they saw that," Tomlinson said Wednesday during his weekly news conference. "That's a pretty good idea.

"It was a situation where, being the Raiders, you kind of expect it to happen," he said. Prep sports MORGAN TWP. LOOKING FOR BOYS TRACK COACH: Morgan Twp. High School is looking for a boys varsity track and field coach. All individuals should call either principal Curt Casbon or athletic director Mike Stephens at (219) 462-5883 Around the horn Bud Carson, the innovative architect of Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense who later coached the Cleveland Browns, died Wednesday.

He was 75. Carson, who had been ill with emphysema, died at his home. Closer Bob Wickman agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night, hours after the club failed to lure Trevor Hoffman from the San Diego Padres. -Times staff and wire reports the game plan your guide to sports on tv Today BOYS PREP BASKETBALL 6:30 p.m.: ESPN2 Dunbar, Ohio vs. Lawrence North, lnd at Indianapolis COLLEGE FOOTBALL 6 p.m.: ESPN Home Depot Awards Show, at Orlando, Fla.

GOLF 2 p.m.: USA -PGA Tour, Target World Challenge, first round, at Thousand Oaks, Calif. MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 8 p.m.: ESPN Georgetown at Illinois 8 p.m.: ESPN2 Massachusetts at Connecticut NBA 7 p.m.: TNT Washington at Pacers 9:30 p.m.: TNT Houston at Sacramento PREP SPORTS 9 p.m.: Comcast Cable (Ch. 4) Sports X-tra" Friday COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m.: ESPN2 NCAA, Division l-AA tournament, semifinal, Northern Iowa at Texas St. GOLF 2 p.m.: USA -PGA Tour, Target World Challenge, second round NBA 6:30 p.m.: ESPN New Jersey at Cleveland 7:30 p.m.: WGN-LA. Lakers at Bulls 9 p.m.: ESPN -New York at Phoenix SOCCER 2 p.m.: ESPN2-Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 3.

p.m.: ESPN2-Men's, NCAA, Division College Cup, semifinal, Maryland vs. SMU Saturday COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m.: ESPN Heisman Trophy Presentation PRO FOOTBALL Grossman movirf on up for Bears QB second on depth chart behind Orton BY RICK GANO AP Sports Writer LAKE FOREST Their eight-game winning streak and top-rated defense were shoved to the background Wednesday when the Bears moved Rex Grossman up the depth chart to No. 2 quarterback behind rookie starter Kyle Orton. Could a change be in the works? A quarterback controversy on a 9-3 team? Grossman, the starter before breaking his ankle in a preseason game Aug. 12, has been the emergency third quarterback the past two weeks.

Now he's one play away from replacing Orton, who's struggling and has a quarterback rating of 60.2. Deemed healthy, Grossman also got limited practice time Wednesday with the first unit as the Bears got ready for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh. "Obviously I want to play. There's no one in this locker room that doesn't want to play. At the same time I don't want to be a distraction to the team, I'm just here trying to do the best I can do.

Whatever they tell me to do, I'm going to do," Grossman said. "I'm physically able to do everything that I need to do to play. I just know, it's pretty obvious we need to get better in the passing game." Grossman underwent surgery after breaking his ankle in the second preseason game at St. Louis his second major injury in as many seasons. After starting the final three games as a rookie in 2003, Grossman's second season ended when he tore the ACL in his right knee on a touchdown run in Week 3 against Minnesota.

Orton has been the starter during the team's longest winning streak in 20 years, one built on defense and a running game. He connected on just 6 of 17 passes last week for 68 yards in a victory over Green Bay, and his critics are mounting. Orton, a fourth-round pick, said the criticism doesn't bother him and he's not taking it personally. And, he added, it's not all his fault. "It's just time for everybody to step up.

Even if the look isn't there, just go ahead and make the play," Orton said. "Just beat your guy and just make the play. If that's me throwing a perfect ball, then that's me throwing a perfect ball. That's just what we have to do." Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad was held without a catch Sunday against the Packers, the first time he's been shut out since 2002. Muhammad said not catching any passes wasn't all his doing, either.

LOOKING AHEAD PRO COLLEGE SPORTS CALENDAR Sunday Dec. 18 Dec. 25 Saturday Dec. 17 Dec. 20 fj i at Pittsburgh vs.

Atlanta at Green Bay at Indiana St. vs. Anderson at Drexel noon 7:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.

3 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Fox ESPN.WCIU Fox Sunday Dec. 18 Dec. 24 Saturday Dec.

19 Dec. 23 I at Jacksonville vs. San Diego at Seattle Iff i vs. Kentucky (at Indy) at Charlotte vs. Butler (at Indy) noon noon 3:15 p.m.

JJ 2:45 p.m. 8 p.m. 5 p.m. CBS w' CBS ESPN2 WYIN Friday Saturday Tuesday Saturday Dec. 18 Dec.

21 'mmj vs. LA. Lakers at Washington vs. Miami TrCll vs- f'a- International at IPFW vs. Niagra 7:30 p.m.

6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 1 6 P-m- 5 P-m- 6 Pm- VL WGN WGN WGN Today Saturday Wednesday Sunday Dec. 17 Dec. 20 vs.

Washington vs. Memphis at Boston yfPV at Loyola (III.) vs. New Orleans vs. IPFW 7 p.m. 7 p.m.

6:30 p.m. W-J 7P-m- 7P-m- 6P-m- TNT V- Comcast WYIN WYIN Today Sunday Tuesday Saturday, Men Dec. 18, Men Dec. 20, Men FhJ vs. Rockford at Rockford vs.

Idaho at Charlotte at Duke atLongwood tmltj 7:05 p.m. 5 p.m. 7:05 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m.

6 p.m. dS WAKE-AM (1500) WAKE-AM (1500) WAKE-AM (1500) Sunday Tuesday Dec. 15 Friday, Women Sunday, Women Dec. 18, Women at Atlanta at Carolina at Nashville at Central Michigan vsPiriue(atHWayne) vs. Loyola (III.) fJLy 1p.m.

6 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 2:05 p.m.

Comcast Comcast Comcast XiX WVUR-FM (95.1) WVUR-FM (95.1) WVUR-FM (95.1) GETTING INVOLVED LAKE ILLINOIS RESULTS: Phone 1.800.837.3232 or fax 219.933.3249. PORTER RESULTS: Phone 1.219.462.5151 or fax 219.465.7298. CONTACTING SPORTS PAUL BOWKER SPORTS EDITOR 219.933.3337 1 pbowkernwitimes.com MIKE CLARK ASEILLINOIS 219.933.4156 1 mclarknwitimes.com CHRIS KELLER ASELAKE COUNTY 219.933.3373' ckeller9nwitimes.com GREG SMITH ASEPORTER COUNTY 219.462.5151. ext. 364 1 gsmithnwitimes.com MATT ERICKSON ASEDESIGN 219.933.3275 1 merickson9nwitimes.com JOHN BURBRIDGE COMMUNITY SPORTS 219.933.3371 1 jburbridcjenwitimes.com NO COVER CHARGE COWBOYS PRO FOOTBALL Jags ready for hyped rematch against Colts FREE BUFFET Colts (12-0) at Jaguars (9-3) When: Noon Sunday.

TV: CBS. "To be aware of that and feel the excitement, that's great. But we don't want to win today. We want to win Sunday. I want our preparation to remain focused on the task at hand and not get swept up in spending too long talking with Joe, Bob and Sports Bar Full Liquor Bar Open 8:00 p.m.

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They have a five-game winning streak and realistic playoff hopes. And they have a AMATEUR WET T-SHIRT CONTEST NIGHTLY HI.IM.M; Susie about the game and BY MARK LONG AP Sports Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Most of the Jacksonville Jaguars have downplayed their matchup against the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, saying it's merely the next one on the schedule and it's important mostly because it's a division game. Defensive end Paul Spicer was refreshingly more candid. "It's going to be a game for the ages around here," he said Wednesday.

Indeed. The Jaguars have a complete sellout for just the sec- chance to end Indy's shot at how you think you can do joining the 1972 Miami Dol- things." phins as the only NFL teams His players must be listen SKYBOX to post a perfect season. "I think you can't help but feel some of the excitement," Jaguars coach Jack'Del Rio said. "The community is abuzs. It's an exciting time of die ear.

We've earned 9-3, and that's a darn good record. We're playing a team that's undefeated. It's an exciting matchup, a division game, playoff implications, sold-out house, all those things. That's all exciting. ing.

One by one Wednesday, they repeated similar lines about the game having equal meaning as others and said they wouldn't derive any added pleasure in ending the Colts' pursuit of perfection. "We're not worried about their perfect season," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "We're more concerned about what's on the line for us." SltiLyWuetsauj Adult Cabaret Featuring Heavenly Bodies 16700 South Halsted St, 2 blocks North of 1-80294 fll7 (708)339-1717 until 7pm 1 Bears (9-3) at Steelers (7-5) When: Noon Sunday. TVRadio: FoxWBBM-AM (780). Sakf mmm IHM I mm minm Mill II urn II Hi I I iMl il I iiin 11' 1 tTl.

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