Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 27

TIMES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2000 7c COLLEGES BASEBALL High court to settle RACING FSU's SwedosHn smurpirose REVIEWS Freshman Emma Breland is full of them, and 'Noles couldn't be happier. STANDINGS tax issue By BRIAN LANDMAN TJrnoi Staff Writer Winston Cup Point! Driver So, like her sister Sofia, a 26-year-old medical school student in Sweden, Breland decided to apply to the foreign exchange student program for placement in the United States. Even in the small town of Jackson, about 90 miles northeast of Memphis, she found soccer. But former South Side High coach Tom White ran his program with one simple goal: Let the girls have fun. That was different for Breland, and she enjoyed it.

She shattered the state record with 59 goals in 19 games. At times, she scored so easily and so often, White would "punish" his shooting star by forcing her WASHINGTON The Su kittiiKiu preme Court agreed Monday to TALLAHASSEE Florida State freshman Emma Breland blushingly insists she didn't expect any of this. Although Breland is a former member of the Swedish under-17 national team and a scorine sensa KEVIN KELLY AUTO RACING settle a back-pay and taxes dispute involving major-league baseball players that could affect the way tion in her one year as a foreign exchange student, taxes are paid on all kinds of labor to defend her own eoal and not go forward. SOCCER notebook rfSTi 3,006,196 3425.010 4.709,694 4mm 2.137,304 2736,541 25536 1770.106 2,38,211 2119,476 1.774,067 1,959,039 1.445J74 421,866 1,705.146 1,383,724 1,831,364 1,620,319 2.254,013 1,744,002 1,613,352 1,716,060 1,062,076 1,418,884 1,262,317 1,51321 144,911 138,557 1,393,356 1429,500 1,103,140 1,016,997 121,589 135,140 876.744 1,107,735 103,560 054.273 77441 4,537 4,327 4Z 4.136 4.102 4X164 3,999 3,955 3.72t 9,067 3393 J.367 3,340 3,259 3,140 1,112 1,094 3,072 2,954 Z840 2,830 1794 1700 2,676 2,634 2609 2,565 2,560 1544 2,462 2,360 2230 2,062 2016 1,008 1,757 1.740 1,644 150 1,521 1. Booby Labonte I Dele Earnhardt I Jeff Burton 4.

DaleJe tt 5. Ridiy Rudd 1 Tony Stewart 7. Mali Martin I. Ruety WaKaoe Ml Gordon W. Ward Burton II.

Ma Skinner tt. Suva Park 13. Matt Kenaeth 14. Johnny BomoR Ma Earnhardt Jr. TO.

JOt PWmBCnW U.KsnSchrsdsr 11. Tarry Ubonte 19. Sterling Martin 20. Elliott 21. John Andrattj 22.

Jimmy Spencer Z3 Jarry Nadeau 24. Jeremy MaynaM 25. Chad Littta Robert Preasley 27. Michaal Waltrip 2D. Kevin Lepaga 29.

Kenny Wallace 30. Elliott Sadler 31. Bobby HamMon 32. Dave Bleney 33. Kd Meat 34.

Way Dalenbech 36. Stacy Comoton 30. Brett Bodine 37. Darrell Waltrip 36. Scott PriMft 39.

Mikfl BJtfS 40. Tad Musgreva volves Social Security and unemployment taxes the Cleveland Indians owners were assessed in 1994, when players received money from the 1980s NASCAR isn't done tinkering Tf" TALLADEGA Ala collusion settlement she never imagined she would be compiling All-American numbers. Shoot, Breland, 18, didn't even plan on staying in the United States or going to college this year. Nor did she or anyone, for that matter envision FSU's ascension in women's collegiate soccer. FSU (10-4-1), ranked No.

13 in Soccer America, brings its school-record unbeaten streak (six games) into tonight's home game against Atlantic Coast Conference rival and the sport's stan- dard-bearer, No. 2 North Carolina (12-1-0). "One of the common denominators has been Emma Breland," second-year coach Patrick Baker said of FSU's success. Breland, who figured she would play midfield but was switched to forward before the season-opening upset of Florida, has Although the athletic exploits of the 5-foot-5 dynamo took on a Bunyan-esque stature in her adopted home, she didn't consider playing collegiately. She left Sweden as a rising junior and assumed she would go back to finish her last two years of high school.

(Her year abroad wouldn't count) Then perhaps she would follow in the footsteps of her father, Ulf, a surgeon, and her sister and try medicine. But White studied her transcript and realized Breland could earn enough credits to graduate from South Side at the end of the school year if she wanted. With her and her parents' blessing, White made phone calls to college coaches. Then the calls started coming to him and The case turns on which tax rates to apply. The government Emma Breland wants to use the 1994 rate.

The Indians want to use the lower rates in effect in 1986 and 1987, when the players would have earned the Uhe search forjbetter, more competitive racing at NASCAR's two largest restrictor- leads FSU with 10 goals, which ranks second in the ACC. money they eventually got in 1994. The Indians were among 26 BGN major-league teams found guilty of her. parlayed her speed and savvy to a startling debut Her 10 goals, four of which were game-winners, rank her second in the ACC. "Our team is playing well," she said with a modest shrug, "and the scoring chances just happen to be coming to me.

It wasn't really expected." There's little, if anything, about her journey from Trelleborg, Sweden, to Jackson, to Tallahassee that wouldn't surprise most folks. It has surprised her. After managing the rigors of national team soccer for three years as well as trying to juggle school work, Breland confessed she had reached the point of burnout. "I was going, going, going," she said. "It was so hectic.

I needed a break. I needed something "I never expected to get recruited, and I didn't know anything," she said. "I was so lost They were asking me questions and if I had any questions. I didn't know what to ask." Breland, with the help of White and her host parents, Bob and Kathryn Hayes, eventually chose FSU over Notre Dame and Penn State. But even Baker, who knew she was a key member of his highly touted class, couldn't have dreamed that Breland would make this kind of impact "It's been a bit of a surprise because we didn't know where we were going to play, her," he said.

"She's really come on the last few weeks." What else would you expect from Breland but another surprise? Ptt. 4320 3794 3618 3617 3410 3322 3101 2944 2083 2808 2806 2782 '2771 2766 2676 2644 2631 2564 2546 2536 2502 2488 2466 2296 2281 2227 2138 1946 1739 'ueSnwl 2 Jaaon KeOer IToddBodine 4. Kevin Heme 5. Ron Homedey 6. Elton Sawyer 7.

Randy LaJoie 8. David Green t. Casey Atwood 10. Kevin Onibb 11. Jinnnii Johnson 12.

Phtt Pwioni 13. Her Parker Jr. 14 JeH Purine 16. Tony Retnea 16. Tan Fedewa 17.

Jay Seuter It Matt Keneath Bobby Hamilton Jr. 20. Mike bton 21. Buckshot Jonee .22 Dick Trickle 23. Jeson LefHer 24.

Mike Mclaughlin 25. Blatae Alexander 26. Mark Green 27. Lyndon Amiok 28. Mark Martin 29.

Jell Burton 865,075 680,980 66730 64826 62819 61170 661710 643.115 389.446 36436 406,660 423,120 437.996 408,030 407,100 399,005 605,730 374,185 374,475 410.840 392,190 348.070 50191 325,737 335,920 336,890 440,125 369,550 1596 27466 30., Facility to be named for McGuire Craftsman Trucks Times wires JibtS 528.685 425,729 487,030 44972 437,073 34556 378,147 25000 321250 25760 26670 252,650 24230 253,146 21559 200.660 213,850 213.905 152796 178.625 163.455 14975 153.176 111.846 10800 106.985 92.936 105.786 5406 366 3.41 386 383 3,156 3,106 3,084 3,054 304 299 2,926 2.790 2795 2659 206 248 229 2233 2229 1.963 1.950 1.079 1.610 1.561 139 1,391 1,19 ,150 1,102 846 I.GregBiffle IKurtBuadl I. Andy Houston 4.MeWaece 6 Joe Ruttmen 7. Dennis Setzer IRandyTofcnvj 9. Steve Gnsaom H. Bryan Refiner 11.

Rick Crawford 12 Jenny Henley 13. Marty Houston 14. Terry Cook 15. Rick Cere 11 Lance fork 17. Carlos Comreras 19.

Randy MecOoneM 19. Rob Morgan 20. Scott Rkjgs 21. BA Wilson 22. Jamkt McMumy 23.

Randy Renfraw 24 Ryan MoGtyrm 25. Rick Warn 20. Wayne Edwards 27. Lance Hooper 26. Coy 20.

David Stan- 30.ftckyriKtnck that the former coach has leukemia. FLORIDA: Junior Abby Wambach was named SEC soccer player of the week. Wambach scored four goals in victories at Mississippi State and Mississippi. In the Ole Miss game, she scored 19 seconds into the game, the fastest goal in UF history. RUTGERS: Geoff Billet, the school's all-time leader in three-pointers, is rejoining the basketball program as an assistant coach.

Billet's brother Todd is the starting point guard. main to be worked out, including where it will be located and the final cost "I am very honored that the university asked me to do this," McGuire said in a prepared statement "I feel like this is a way for me to give something back to Marquette and make a contribution to the future of Marquette athletics, and I look forward to taking the first shot." McGuire, 72, was hospitalized in July with an unspecified illness, but Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly reported last month MILWAUKEE Marquette's new athletic facility will be named for Al McGuire, the Hall of Fame coach who led the men's basketball team to an NCAA championship, an NIT title and 295 victories in 13 seasons, the school announced Monday. The university also announced a $2-million challenge gift from longtime supporters James H. and Virginia Wheeler toward the construction of the new facility, bringing the total raised to $9-million. Details of the new facility re Formula One plate tracks is not over.

Though the Winston 500 Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway produced 49 lead changes among 21 drivers and was a hit among the estimated 140,000 fans and most drivers, NASCAR director Gary Nelson said the sport's governing body will continue researching ways to improve restrictor-plate racing before the Daytona 500 in February. "We evaluate the results based on what the competitors say, what the race fans say," he said. "It's important for the race fans to feel like they got their money's worth. The guys are what they come to see, driving the cars." Of concern to some, especially a handful of Ford teams, was that Chevrolet swept the first six positions in spite of six rules changes designed with better racing in mind. Five Fords led at least one lap.

"If you had a Chevrolet," said Ford driver Jeff Burton, "it (the set of changes) worked out great" Ricky Joe Neme-chek's Chevrolet and Tony Stewart's Pontiac were impounded by NASCAR and tested on the chassis dyno following the race. The three cars will be taken to the Lockheed wind tunnel in Georgia this week for further aerodynamic testing. "We're going to try and understand a little better what we saw," Nelson said. always tweaking to think" about it, get our data, go home and try to sort it out." CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVE: Winston Cup points leader Bobby Labonte did nothing to hurt his shot at his first championship. The driver of the No.

18 Pontiac was in contention to win late but got shuffled back to 12th in the final laps. "Just ride around, try to protect your position," Labonte said of the race. "The car probably handled better, but that was about all. I'm tickled to death, to be honest with you." Should he finish 10th or better in the remaining four races, Labonte will win the title. He leads Dale Earnhardt, who won the Winston 500, by 210 points.

"If it gets down to two or three races to go and he's still got 100 or 150 points on us, it's going to be tough to beat him," Earnhardt said. "If we can get it down to 150 points or less with a couple of races to go I think we've got a shot at putting the pressure on." PASSING FANCY: The final 50 laps of the Winston 500 featured 12 lead changes. Among the drivers shuffled out of the top spot was Dale Earnhardt who led five times for 28 laps. The Winston Cup rookie took his final lead on Lap 175 but was passed byJohn'Andretti 10 laps later. "We're pretty happy with how we ran," said Earnhardt who went from second to 14th in the final two laps.

The Chevrolet was real strong all day long and that's all we can ask for no matter where we finish, just that we were competitive and we didn't come here and run (bad)." MAKING A POINT: He is a lame-duck driver but that didn't stop Mike Blis9 Poe, Driver I.MiehasI Schumacher 2MeHamen 1. David Couriherd 4. Ruben BiiTKheNo 5. fas Schumacher IGararfeReicnall 7. Jacques ViNenauve Pis.

88 86 67 68 24 18 16 12 11 9. Jeneon Button Irteint-Heraldri H. Jemo Trull 11. MikaSelo 12. JosVentappan 13.

Eddie Irvine 14 RicardoZonta 16. Alexander Wuri W. Pedro Da Row Jri CART rag LA r-1 collusion by arbitrators Thomas Roberts and George Nicolau, who ruled they conspired not to sign free agents following the 1985, 1986 and 1987 seasons. The teams then agreed to settle the cases for $280-million. The Major League Baseball Players Association split up the money among the affected players a process still ongoing.

Twenty-three Indians players split nearly from that pot in 1994, awards that made up shortfalls in salaries that occurred for the 1986 and 1987 seasons. They and the team then paid taxes at the 1994 rate. Team owners filed for a full refund. Their lawsuit claims, among other things, that an earlier court ruling dictated using the lower 1980s rates Social SecuVty taxes were 5.7 percent in 1986 1987, but had risen to 6.2 perd -it by 1994. Employers and employees pay the same tax.

Unemployment taxes, paid only by the employer, were 6 percent in 1986 and 1987 and 6.2 percent by 1994. Longer ballgames NEW YORK Even with good things, sometimes more is not better. Sometimes more is just more. That's been the case with post-season baseball, as games routinely stretch past three hours. And it doesn't seem to matter whether a lot of runs are scored or justafew.

In the opening game of the American League championship series, Seattle shut out the New York Yankees 2-0 in a game that lasted an exhausting 3 hours, 45 minutes. Compared with that, the New York Mets and St Louis Cardinals were positively economical in Game 4 of the National League series, packing 20 hits and 16 runs into a relatively speedy 3:14. Three-hour games have become routine in baseball. The regular-season average was 3:02, five minutes longer than last year. But post-season games push well past that barrier without blinking an eye and are edging closer and closer to the four-hour plateau.

The Yankees and Mariners went 4:14 for Sunday's fifth game and that was just for 8 innings. League championship series games are averaging 3 hours, 35 minutes, up 20 minutes from last year's 3:15. The division playoffs averaged 3:14, an increase of seven minutes. So what is taking so long? Television plays a part. The networks are allotted 2 minutes, 25 seconds between each half-inning for commercials That's a shade under five minutes per inning for nine innings or almost 45 minutes without a pitch being thrown or a bat swung in anger.

Most regular season baseball telecasts get 2:05 each half-inning for commercial time. The best pitched game of the league championship series was Roger Clemens' one-hitter against Seattle in Game 4. It also was the only one that came in under three hours, a tidy.2:59. ATHLETICS: Oakland declined to exercise its option to extend the contract of outfielder Matt Stairs through the 2001 season. Stairs, 32, remains on the Athletics' roster and will be eligible for salary arbitration.

BREWERS: Milwaukee will open the new $400-million Miller Park with exhibition games against the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox on March 30 and 31, team officials said. The Brewers will move into Miller Park next season after playing at County Stadium since 1970 when the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee. TIMES WIRES I 1 ft Pts. 153 148 134 134 131 131 127 126 123 112 101 92 97 76 04 45 39 26 24 20 Poe, DriVef 1. Gil de Ferran 2.

Adrian Fsrnsndel I. Paul Tracy 4. Kenny Brack 8. Roberto Moreno 9. Jimmy Vsseor 7.

Michael Andrattj 8. rMioCestroneve4 9. Juan Montoya mCristianodaMatte 11. Patrick Cerpentier 12. Derio Franchifh 13.

Max Papas 14. Christian FrttipakU 15. Oriel Sovia II.AIeiTegkani 17. Meurioio Guosknin 19. Bryan Herts 18.

Tony Kensan 20. Minnesota vs Tampa Bay Sunday, Oct. 29, 2000 IRL Its Compliments ofJU tgEIgll) 1 aT srfAtv aTtiaTVa. BM 995 FM ssr i i VII eIV6J Pot, Driwr 1. Buddy Laser 2.

Scott Goodyear I. EddktChaeverJr. 4.EksaoSalazsr 6. Mark Dismore 6 Donnie Daechler 7 Scott Sharp I Robbie Buhl lAIUneerJr. n.BOyBoot II.

Jeff Ward 12 Bobby McGehea 13 Greg Ray SlepfuHiGrecjoira 16 Bun Calkins H. Anton Dare 17. JeretSchroedor IB. Sarah Father 19. Tyoe Canton 20.

Jaques Lazier 23. Davey Hamilton 24. Jimmy Kite 25. Juan Montoya 28 Drug DtdefO 27 Ronoie Johncox fflJ.J.Yetey 28. Robby Gordon 30.

Jason Leffter 31 MclasJonssofl 32. Jimmy Vaster 33 Stevie Reeves 34. Robby Uneer 35. Scott Harrington 36. Zek Morioka 37 ReolBoeeel 36.

Steve Knepp 39. Bobby Regeeter 40. JormHc4ensworthJr. 41. Jon Herb 42 Johnny Uneer 43.

Stan Wattles 4. Roberto Guerrero 46. Jsok MMw Pts. 290 272 257 210 202 202 196 190 188 181 176 174 172 171 145 142 136 124 124 112 110 109 88 78 54 43 33 33 28 28 27. 28 26 19 17 16 14 11 9 8 8 7 7 6 u'n it "mWt 1 'HMWyiMJ iii.iii!Wjii,iM!ii a is la eser-e Vi, i OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM Mail entry to: Game 4 Ticket Giveaway, P.O.

Bra 413, UmUm llyuns. MimiunS CwiAr. ft reft sa nm 9 5 from finishing a career-best ninth. The rookie led two laps to be St. Petersburg Times bureau location Monday through Friday, a.m.

to p.m. come the 47th driver to lead this season. "That was just awesome," said Bliss, who will be replaced by Kenny Name: (first) Street City: IMHRA UnrtApt: Wallace in the No. 27 Pontiac next season. "It was nerve-racking but I had a lot of fun out there today.

Daytime phone: That's the best race I've ever run and I Which 01 the following it main source hr local information tnd newt tor you? (ched 0 that appty the most fun I've had racing." 4 5 Internet 6 Other PIT NOTES: Labonte and Earnhardt 1 SLPetersburgTimes 3 TV 2 a Other daily paper 4 Radio ENTRY DEADLINE: Entries must be received no later than 101900,3 p.m. Winner will be notified by phone on 102000. See official contest rules in today's Classified Section. Please check the Items that best describe your major interests: are the only drivers to finish every race this season. At the track where he made his first Winston Cup start in May 1972, three-time series Topfua 1.

Gary Scebj. 163; I Tony Schumach-sr. 137; 3. Larry Dixon, 140; 4. Jos Amsto.

181; 5. Doug Kaktte, 1268; 6. Kenny Bernstein, 7. Cory McOena-thsn, 108; a Bob Vendergrift, 873; 9. Doug Herbert, 607; K.

David Ononis. 733. FUNNY CAR 1. John Feme. 169; 2 Ron Cappe, 169; 3.

Jerry ToHver, 163; 4. Tony Ped-ngon, 101; 5. Jim Enter, 9. Sootty Cannon. 998; 7.

WM Bezsmore. 969, 8. Dal Womham, 937; 9. Dean Skua. 974; 10.

Bruce Server, 971. PRO STOCK 1. JsgCoughUn, 127; I Kurt Johnson. 196; 3, Ron Krisher. 167; 4.

Wenen Johnson. 1239. 5. Mark Pawuk. 6 Troy Coughdn, 109; 7.

Richie Stevens, 957; 8. Jim Yates, 926; 9. Darrell Aldermen, 81 10. Bruce Allen. 768.

PRO STOCK TRUCK 1. Bob Parade) Jr. 121; 1 Randy Don-Ms. 991; 3. John Coughlin, 738: 4 Gmg Stanheld, 672.

3. Steve Johna. 963; I Mate Couohkn, 578; 7. Bran Set So Jeff Grada. 506; 9.

Peek Jones, 469; 10. John I x- TJ UnQtretnir, 4Mi 1 Arts crafts fairs 9fl ft reiniacc 1 eVWVUTW 7 Baseball, college andor professional 13 Boating 8 Careerjob 14 (k)rnputerslnternet champion Darrell Waltrip finished 35th in his final race at Talladega. 3Q Cooking 9 Dining out 15IJ Fishing 4 rootbaB, college andor profeskxii. 103 GarrJening 16QGoff 5 Health and medem 11Q Horrwirnrxrjvements 17 Live theatre concerts I 6 Movies 123 Polte'government 18 3 RaisngcMdren 19P Other Earnhardt victory was his 76th. The 49-year-old is sixth on the all-time list The 49 lead changes were the tPcterstJurgCTimei most in a Winston Cup race since the 1989 DieHard 500.

CS01852 sptimes.com.