The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 39

10 C5 THE BOSTON GLOBE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1996 Remedial 4 Best foot forward rea By Marvin Pave GLOBE STAFF Bledsoe sees his flaws HjwMimi ill i iia lwnV' yf -77 By Michael Madden GLOBE STAFF New England and Massachusetts in particular can boast of having the No. 1 junior college soccer team in the nation. The distinction belongs to Massasoit Community CollegeT whose main campus is in Brockv iff If FOXBOROUGH-Drew Bledsoe watched the game tapes of the Patriots' 27-22 loss to the Redskins and came to the same conclusion more or less as his coach. As Bill Parcells pointedly noted, Bledsoe missed several reads that might have led to touchdowns. "There were really three plays that I was disappointed in," said Bledsoe.

"Two throws one to Shawn Jefferson and one to Terry Glenn -where I was off a little bit. They would have scored if the ball had been on target." Both those passes were overthrown to open receivers. A third instance. GLOBE STAFF PHOTO JIM DAVIS Then-Dolphin-now-Patriot Keith Byars is tackled by NE's Terry Ray in the opener. r' Hi, amves via coac.

Parcells is the major lure in Byars' selection of Patriots A said Bledsoe, came in the third quarter after Curtis Martin's 57-yard run. On second down, Bledsoe dropped back to pass and threw a safety valve to Martin that resulted in a 6-yard loss. "That was just a poor decision," said Bledsoe. "I should have hit Terry over the middle, and instead, I threw it to Curtis and he ended up losing 6 yards, as 4 Hi GLOBE STAFF PHOTO FRANK O'BRIEN DREW BLEDSOE Tough viewing PATRIOTS Continued from Page CI Five teams had serious interest in Byars, cut loose almost three weeks ago in Miami by Jimmy Johnson. "But Keith told me New England," said Owens.

'That's the team he wanted to be with." And Byars, to accentuate the point, said words seldom heard these days: "I'm not playing for the money." Byars left Miami in a hail of words, Johnson glad to see him go and the 11-year veteran responding, "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I'm free at last." Yesterday Byars would say little about the Dolphins and Johnson, who moved him to tight end. Except to comment about his streak of 130 games catching passes, broken in the Dolphins' win over the Jets in the third game of the season. One pass was thrown to Byars that game, but it was deflected and he dropped it. "There's still pain and I hurt about that with the way it ended," said Byars, who felt he was not seeing enough passes. "This is going to bother me a while.

On the other hand, it's still 130 games." Instead, he focused on coming to New England. "Being a veteran," he said, "I had the option to decide the best place for me to go. Some teams were interested that I didn't feel good about because it wasn't necessarily a good fit." But the Patriots? "I like what we have here," said Byars, who turned 33 Monday. "We have a lot of young guys, and the potential is unlimited. I feel good coming into a situation where I can provide some leadership to the young guys and learn just as well from them." The decision to take on Byars for two years is intriguing.

Clearly, the Patriots have many serious problems on defense, and just as clearly, Coates and Gash are two of the strongest cogs on a strong offense. But Parcells is looking for veteran leadership for his young team and perhaps has decided that a nonstop offense is the only way to compensate for a nonstopping defense. "Coates is a Pro Bowl player and Sam Gash is just the same," said Byars. "But I don't look on myself as being one-dimensional. I play offense.

Wherever I'm needed, you can fill me in. I am not just a fullback or a tight end. I am just an offensive player and I was brought in here to make plays, whether catching the ball, running with the ball or just blocking." Coates was asked his reaction to Byars' arrival. "None," replied the tight end, who seldom talks to the media, anyway. Gash, who is also having a strong season, said he was not surprised at the arrival of Byars.

"Nothing really surprises me the way this business works," said the fullback. "Whoever they bring in here, obviously, they do it to help the team. That's pretty much how I think about it. There's always competition, and I think Byars is a player who can play a lot of positions and I think he'll probably be asked to." Parcells, for his part, said he long has admired Byars: "I've coached against him many, many times certainly 20-25 times." Byars is obviously versatile, "and we're just hoping he can add something to what we're doing," said the coach. "He gives us some veteran experience and some leadership eventually, and that was the intention for bringing him here." When Byars arrived in Foxborough, Parcells "told me just to be myself and to be the guy that has always been a thorn in his side, from my days in Philly and Miami." The coach told him he'd be playing "some tight end, some fullback, and just all over the offense, wherever I'm needed." Byars came out of Ohio State many a moon ago he was runner-up to Doug Flutie for the 1984 Heisman Trophy and Patriot fans may recall the many times he would run a pick play (illegal, of course) at the goal line to take easy touchdown passes from Dan Marino.

"New England has always been a team that's had my respect even though I've had some success against them," said Byars, "even though that success didn't come easily." Byars made a base salary of $178,000 with $1,218,000 in bonuses in 1995 with the Dolphins. That salary reportedly was slashed to some $350,000 this season, as Byars took a pay cut like many NFL veterans. He is believed to be making in the range here. Byars will be wearing No. 41 for New England, the number he wore in Philadelphia and Miami.

No. 41 has been seldom used by the Patriots only 11 players have worn it here in 36 years and only Larry Carwell had it for any length of time (1968-72). "I was thinking of retiring," said Byars. "But I was watching football games and I was thinking that I still have to play. I can still play." ton.

The Warriors, coached by Nick Palantzas, have been ranked No. 1 by the National Junior College Athletic Association for the past three weeks and are 11-1-1 going into today's road gajna against the Harvard junior varsity. i Massasoit's only loss came last Saturday at 4 Mitchell Junior College in New London, 4-2. Massasoit had defeated Mitchell, 6-0, a month ago, and, said Palantzas, "I think playing three matches a week caught up to us. We were flat and tired, but we did play a pretty good second half.

We also hit three posts in that game. "I gave the boys Sunday and Monday off, 1 can see the difference in their legs already," added Palantzas, the school's athletic director, who noted that Massasoit will be host for the New England Region 21 playoffs Nov. 2-3. Massasoit, which has five games left, is aiming for top seeding among the four squads that qualify. Other contenders include Mount Ida College of Newton (11-2-1), whose only losses have been to Massasoit; Mitch ell, and Dean College of Franklin.

Massasoit won its first 11 matches, outscoring the opposition, 48-4. It was tied by the Dartmouth JVs, 3-3, last week before losing to Mitchell. "We've had a little dip, but a team also has to realize it can be defeated and that it has to be pre- "I pared to face every opponent," said Palantzas, wh6j is in his 15th season as coach. "Long-term, I think1 the tie and loss will benefit us in terms of what we1' have to do." ni Palantzas' teams won national titles in 1986 ahcf" '87 and have made the Final Eight in 10 of the past' 11 seasons. This year the Warriors bring technical ability, prolific scorer Nolan Napier (18 goals) and 1 overall team quickness to the field.

Napier, a freshman tricaptain from South Africa, leads New England in scoring with 42 points The defense has posted seven shutouts, with1''! keeper Dave Biondi of Cicero, N.Y., getting most of the starts, backed up by Mike Whit from East Bridgewater. "The key for us down the stretch fef' to stay healthy and come up with a sustained ef-1 fort," said Palantzas. "We've really missed our sophomore tricaptain from New Bedford, Le- 'ta'J vienha Miranda, who should be back in a week-. He's a great two-way player, and getting him the playoffs will make us a stronger team." 'at' Pinto riding high The records keep falling at Westfield State Golw lege, thanks to women's star Sandy Pinto, a junior? from Ludlow. Pinto set school records last season; o( for most goals (16) and points (34) in a season, and last week she established a career mark for goals i jt (37) when she clicked for a hat trick in a 3-1 victory, over Western New England College.

Pinto, who is 1 coming back from a preseason upper leg injury, vriq logged.a season-high 85 minutes against WNECj, and she is priming for another school record. Her 85 career points are just 2 shy of the standard setfo by Lisa Benoit, who played from 1982-85. Pinto's, next shot at that mark comes today at Springfieldjrj College. Westfield, now 8-5, is coached by Donna Coombs, who left a similar position at West Spring field High, where she had a 282-55-35 record. Coombs Division in Western Mass.

high school soccer was named in her honor in 1983. Keen on a bid The Keene State (N.H.) College women's team, which is moving from Division 2 to Division 3 next season, hopes to go out with a playoff berth. The )f Owls, who won the ECAC title in 1993, have cut -t back on scholarships because of the transition, but are 11-2-2 after yesterday's 1-0 loss to Franklin Pierce. Keene is ranked No. 6 nationally in Division" 2 and second in New England.

Franklin Pierce is ranked second in the country and tops in the region, Keene, coached by Denise Lyons, has only two scholarship players and is playing a predominant Division 2 schedule. An NCAA or ECAC tourna ment bid, said Lyons, "would be a great way for us to end our Division 2 history." Keene is led in scorj ing by sophomore Amy Zombeck, a native of Clare- opposed to hitting Terry, who might have broken a tackle and gotten in the end zone." After a third-down sack, the Patriots missed scoring altogether on that drive. "When you play close games and when you have opportunities like that," said Bledsoe, "you've got to hit them or you don't win. So I was obviously frustrated with those throws." Parcells, for his part, was less critical of Bledsoe yesterday than he was Monday. "I wasn't overly concerned about him earlier in the season when everybody seemed overly concerned about him," said Parcells, "and I wasn't heaping adulation on him the last few weeks when everybody else was heaping adulation on him.

I'm trying to be steady with him." Past is past. In the immediate future is Jim Harbaugh of the Colts, and Bledsoe said his rival quarterback "is a guy I've really admired the last year and a half because Jim gets everything he can out of his ability and his ability is good." Harbaugh is even more admirable, in Bledsoe's eyes, "because he comes up with the key plays at the key times in ballgames for their team that put them over the top and win ballgames. When you can do that, and do it as consistently as Jim has done, there's something special there. He just has that knack." On another point whether the offense feels the need to score points while the defense struggles to find itself Bledsoe said he wasn't feeling any inordinate pressure. "Offensively, we feel we should execute at the same level regardless of what's happening." Help, but how much? Parcells would not be specific but said "we're going Jo do a couple of things to help our pass rush.

But we're limited by a couple of physical things in our secondary." Those "physical things" are injuries to cornerback Ricky Reynolds (ankle) and safety Corwin Brown (hip flexor). Reynolds is iffy for the Colts game, said Parcells. "Maybe later in the week, he'll be better." Brown is questionable The secret to the Patriot defense regaining its confidence? "You win two or three games like we lost on Sunday," said Parcells. Also, said the coach, "We've got to tackle better in the secondary." The Colts' injury list is nearly endless nine players are on it this week and 10 have missed 36 starts this season yet Indianapolis is 5-1. The reason, said coach Lindy Infante, is "character.

It comes from hiring good people. I'm a strong believer in that you can't change a leopard's spots. You don't bring in guys suspect in their work ethic or intelligence. Don't get me wrong. We're not going down to some church to find guys.

They've got to be able to play." The final words of Harbaugh, who wears No. 4, to the New England media yesterday: "Say hi to Bobby Orr for me." 1 Selections are against the Las Vegas point spread. V2 4 -jjji ILtt Las Vegas line Jeff Sagarin's line John Carney (5-8) (44-50) Ron Borges (4-9) (51-43) Will McDonough (4-9) (49-45) Nick Cafardo (7-6) (52-42) Michael Madden (8-5) (48-46) Last week: Season: Seattle Kansas City KANSAS CITY Kansas City Seattle Seattle at Kansas City KC Kansas City by 9 by IOV2 Note: Best bet in bold caps. Seattle, QB John Friesz made his first start of the season vs. Miami and completed 18 of 32 passes for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns, two of which went to WR Joey Galloway (5 catches, 137 yards).

Kansas City QB Steve Bono is coming off a less auspicious outing, with only 170 yards on 18-for-29 passing, no TDs and two interceptions. Both QBs will be keeping an eye on an impact defensive player: Seattle DE Michael Sinclair is tied for NFL lead with eight sacks, while Kansas City LB Derrick Thomas has six. mont, N.H. Senior cocaptain Heather Boisvere, a midfielder from West Springfield, is second in sco'r-J SEATTLE (2-4) at KANSAS CITY 14-2) When and where: Tonight, 8, Arrowhead Stadium. TV: TNT.

Last meeting: Chiefs won, 35-17, in Week 3. Comments: Both teams are coming off an open date, meaning the Seahawks have had an extra week to savor a 22-15 upset of the Dolphins the previous weekend, while the Chiefs have had a week more to chew on their 17-7 home Iojs to the Steelers. For ing, while junior Kristen Daly from Niskayuna, 4 N.Y., has excelled in net. Catichman's appeal is denied, so he'll miss title match A.l By Frank Dell'Apa GLOBE STAFF The Los Angeles Galaxy appealed in vain a ruling to keep team captain Dan Calichman from playing in the Ma pared to having to sit out a winner-take-all game. In the playoffs, these are all big games." MLS patterned its playoff disciplinary policy after the World Cup finals.

Calichman, a Williams College graduate who was selected MLS defensive player of the year by USA Today, said the best-of-three format in the preliminary rounds makes the MLS tournament significantly different than the World Cup. "If they played best-of-three in the World Cup," he said, "there would be no one left on the field for the final." cation on Boston Common of the Oneida Monument, commemorating the first sogce'i club in the Americas The Midnight Rid; ers, the supporters' club of the Revolutionj will host to a championship game celebraj tion on Hanover Street in the North End at 5 p.m. Saturday An MLS awards dinner is planned Saturday night at the Park Plaza Castle MLS commissioner Doug Logajf will participate in a roundtable discussion concerning the league's first season at 10 a.m. Sunday Revolution and other MLS players will participate in a clinic at 11 aon. Sunday on Boston Common The Reroi lution's Alexi Lalas will perform the jiai tional anthem before Sunday's game.

"'3 Campos will catch up The Galaxy arrived yesterday without goalkeeper Jorge Campos, who was playing for Mexico against Jamaica in a World Cup qualifying match. Campos is expected to arrive in Boston today More than 35,000 tickets have been sold for the championship game, which will be-televised by ABC The Galaxy will practice at 10 a.m. today at Brandeis University in Waltham. D.C. United arrives tonight and will practice at 4 p.m.

tomorrow at Brandeis A media luncheon is scheduled at noon tomorrow at the World Trade Center The National Soccer Hall of Fame and the New England Sports Museum will participate in a rededi- "If the league wants to hold up the integrity of the finals competition, I'm sure it wants to have its two best teams with all of their players available," Galaxy coach Lothar Osiander said. The Galaxy hoped MLS would allow Calichman to serve the suspension in the opening match next season, but the league upheld referee Zimmermann Boulos' ruling, according to the Orange County Register. "It's a ridiculous rule because the punishment is so severe for a crime that isn't that bad," Calichman said. "If you receive five cautions during the regular season, you sit out a game and it's really nothing com jor League Soccer Cup championship game against D.C. United at 3:30 p.m.

Sunday at Foxboro Stadium. Calichman received three cautions in five playoff games and must serve a one-game suspension..