The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 31

THURSDAY. DECEMBER 23, 1 999 3-I THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN SPORTS ROUNDUP MEL BRACHT'S MEDIA COLUMN FOOTBALL Thulin seeking his TV niche Sports ROUNDUP PRO FOOTBALL Romanowski hit with another fine but you've got a little more security." At the least, the San Antonio resident figured it was time to start looking for a job outside of broadcasting to supplement his income. However, a new contract to return to the Big 12 football broadcasts next season along with assignments to do 25 women's basketball broadcasts this THE end of the college football season brought on a mid-life crisis of sorts for Fox Sports Net announcer Ron Thulin. Thulin, a 1976 Southern Nazarene University graduate and former Channel 4 sportscaster, was beginning to wonder if he had a future in sports-casting despite his solid work as the play-by-play voice of Fox Sports Net's Big 12 football pack Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski was fined $15,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jacksonville Jaguars running back Frea Taylor. The fine for the hit Dec.

13 brings the total amount of sanctions against Romanowski this season to Mel Bracht $42,500. The NFL also warned Romanow ski that another flagrant foul could lead winter in the Southeastern Conference and Conference USA has changed his attitude. Friends and associates also have encouraged him to stick with sports-casting. "I still don't know what the future will be, but I'm an announcer," he said. "I'm supposed to be an announcer." to a suspension, the Broncos said.

The hit on Taylor came late in the second Kansas City-Seattle at 3 p.m. Other ecasts are Washington-San Franciscc at 7:20 p.m on ESPN and New York Jets-Miami at 8 p.m. Monday on ABC Air notes ESPN is down to the final four in its SportsCentury list: Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth. Athlete No. 4 will be profiled at 9 p.m.

Friday, followed by No. 3 at 9:30 p.m. The top two athletes wil be announced on ABC at 4 p.m. Sunday. Fox Sports Net has a lot of special programming Christmas day, including a repeat of its Nolan Ryan documentary at noon, "Newsmakers of 1999," hosted by Jim Rome at 6 p.m.; "Keith Olbermann's 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century" at 7 p.m.

and "Go in' Deep, 1999 Year in Sports," at i p.m. Olbermann's No. 1 athlete will be announced tonight at about 10:30. NBC begins its NBA coverage with a Christmas Day doubleheader: New York Knicks-Indiana at 6 p.m. and San Antonio-Los Angeles Lakers at 8:30 p.m.

The Sports Animal Radio Network is carrying 10 bowl games, beginning with Hawaii vs. Oregon State in the Oahu Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Mel Bracht can be reached by e-mail at mbrachtaklahoman.com. quarter of the Jaguars' 27-24 victory.

A games, with the exception of two boys-only tournaments. Mick Cornett will do the play-byplay and Mike Steely will be the analyst. The schedule, with air dates: Putnam City Tournament, Jan. 9-11; Carl Albert-El Reno, Jan. 15-17; Yukon-Choctaw, Jan.

19-21; Norman Invitational, Jan. 23-25; Moore-Norman, Jan. 29-31; Edmond Santa Fe-Edmond North, Feb. 5-7; Midwest City-Del City, Feb. 12-14; Putnam City-Mustang, Feb.

16-18; Westmoore-Moore, Feb. 19-21. A special one-hour season preview of "Inside Hoops," with coaches interviews, will air at 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Monday.

Cox Communications is expected to take over Multimedia on Feb. 1. Let's hope Cox will show the games to all its subscribers in the Oklahoma City area. NFL telecasts There's lots of NFL action this weekend, beginning with the Dallas-New Orleans Christmas Eve battle at 2 p.m. on Fox.

On Christmas Day, CBS will show Denver-Detroit at 3:15 p.m., preceded by Phil Simms' inauguaral "All-Iron Team" at 2:30 p.m. KOKH-25 has the Sunday double-header, with Minnesota-New York Giants at noon and Green Bay-Tampa Bay at 3:15 p.m. KWTV-9 will show age. Thulin, 46, who has worked five years for Fox. Sports Net after a seven-year career with Turner Sports, has watched many young announcers make inroads in the business and the increased use of freelancers by the networks.

He wondered if there still was a place for him. pass to Taylor fell incomplete, but the NFL said Romanowski hit Taylor with his helmet. Romanowski was not penal Ron Thulin: Will do Big 12 football for Fox next season. ized, on the play. The league fined Ro manowski $10,000 last week for an illegal hit to the head of Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez during the Broncos' game Dec.

MEDIA 5. Romanowski compiled $27,500 in fines during the 1997 season. PRO BASKETBALL Rodman arrested Fox Sports Net spokesman Lou D'Emilio called Ron "a solid broadcaster" with a good future at the network. Multimedia prep basketball Multimedia Cablevision will carry at least nine high school basketball broadcasts on tape delay this season. The broadcasts will air three consecutive nights at 7 on channel 35.

They will include boys and girls "You turn on the TV any day of the week and see bad announcers, smart-aleck announcers, people who don't do their homework, people who have the cute quip," Thulin said. "That's not me. I'm a Bob Barry, meat-and-potatoes type guy. "The wave now for guys my age is to get with a hometown team or college and stick with it. You won't make the great money of the network level, Dennis Rodman, who has had a stormy few months since his NBA career ended abruptly, was booked in Costa Mesa, for investigation of drunken driving, police said.

Rodman, who was driving a Bentley, was stopped for a traf fic violation, a passenger not wearing a seat belt, police Sgt. Bob Ciszek said. Po lice officials said Rodman was taken to jail after flunking a field sobriety test. It was the third time within the past four Sooners: Nearly 30,000 fans expected months that Rodman has been arrested, although charges were dropped in the From Page 1-D Blue-Gray Game rosters Blue Quarterbacks Tim Lester, Western Michigan; Phil Stam-baugh, Lehigh Running Backs Darren Davis, Iowa State; Durell Price, UCLA; Oemario Brown, Utah Stale; Keith Brown, UCLA. Wide Receivers Matt Farmer, Air Force; Travis Williams, Navy; Wlndrell Hayes, USC; Wendell Montgomery, Wyoming.

Tight Ends Zeron Flemister, Iowa; Ryan Tuiague, Washinglon State; Kirk McMullen, Pittsburgh. Linemen Jim Stull, Delaware; Jamie Wu, Maryland; Andrew Kline, San Dleao State; Ethan Weldle, Pittsburgh; Charlie Knapp, Western Michigan; John Merandl, Notre Dame; Kurt Murphy, Ohio Stale. Secondary Ryan Roques, UCLA; Tinker Keck, Cincinnati; Matt Bowen, Iowa; Deke Cooper, Notre Dame; Carlos Posey, Missouri-Columbia; Tarig Holman, Iowa. Linebackers Wayne Hampton, Rutgers; Adisa King, Army; Scott Zimmerman, Northern Colorado; Keith Miller, California-Berkeley; Isaiah Kacyvenskl, Harvard. Linemen James Cotton, Ohio State; Lamont Bryant, Notre Dame; Mawuko Tugbenyoh, California-Berkeley; Brad Williams, Notre Dame; Rob Meier, Washington State; Robert Brannon, Iowa State.

PunterKicker Graham White, Army; Travis Brawner, Southwest Missouri State. Gray Quarterbacks Justin Fuente, Murray State; Travis Brown, Northern Arizona. Running Backs Curtis Keaton, James Madison; Mike Green, Houston; Rondell Mealey, Louisiana State; Paul Smith, Texas-El Paso. Wide Receivers Scottie Montgomery, Duke; Muneer Moore, Richmond; AAareno Phllyaw, Troy State; JaJuan Dawson, Tulane. Tight Ends-Scot Osborne, College of William Mary; Terrence Dupree, Duke.

LinemeiVT-Joey Chustz, Louisiana Tech; Michael Thompson, Tennessee State; Adam Davis, Oklahoma state; Kareem Ellis, North Carolina; Jeno James. Auburn; Michael Moore, Troy State; Austin Adami, SMU; Terrence Anderson, Navy. Secondary Evan Howell, Oklahoma State; Kareem Larrimore, West Texas Kris Neal, Alabama-Birmingham; Kenny Kelly, Auburn; Mike Green, Northwestern Stale; Todd Frani, Tulsa. Linebackers DaShon Polk, Arizona; Antonio Wilson, Texas Jack Golden, Oklahoma State; Corey Atkins, South Carolina; Lamont Turner, Vanderbllt. Linemen Al Lucas, Troy State; Qulnton Reese, Auburn; Earnest Grant, Bluff; Jimmy Brumbaugh, Auburn; Dwlght Johnson, Baylor; Marcus Washington, Auburn.

PunterKicker Brian Schmitz, North Carolina; Jake Arians, Alabama-Birmingham. STAFF PHOTO BY STEVE SISNEY Justin Fuente throws a pass to Stephen Alexander in the 1996 OU-Texas game. Fuente transferred to Murray staie ity.i in iwo. Fuente to show off talents Ole Miss quarterback Romaro Miller is more pass than Martin, although he runs well enough to have positive rushing totals, which isn't too shabby for a quarterback these days. Miller's hit 54 percent oi his passes for 1,999 yards, while Joe Gunn and Deuce McAllister, who equals Jamal Lewis in stature, have combined for 1,760 yards on the ground.

"There was always great intensity and a lot of fun competition," Stoops said oi the Florida-Tennessee meetings, which despite early-season occurrences had national-championship consequences The two teams were a combined 66-5 from 1996-98. Do-cwers Stoops said he's not sure when th NCAA, will give a ruling on the medica hardship cases of senior tight end Mat Anderson and freshman quarterback Ja son White, both of whom were injured after playing sparingly this season. A positive ruling will Anderson another season and would allow White to count 1999 as his redshirt year. Ticket takers Oklahoma fans bought up all the Sooners' allotment of tickets for the Independence Bowl, and then some, and helped bowl officials sell out of those available in Shreveport. Now they're buying tickets out of Mississippi, about 3,000 so far, and Sooner media relations director Mike Prusinski said nearly 30,000 OU fans are expected at Independence Stadium, which seats 50,459.

Tickets still remain in Oxford, he said. Sooner stuff OU will have its final practice in Norman this morning, break for Christmas and head to Shreveport on Sunday morning, in time to have their first practice at 1 p.m. at Parkway High School and a 5 p.m. press conference, Linebacker Rocky Calmus, who broke an ankle at Texas Tech but came back to play in the finale against Oklahoma State, has been sitting out practices. Ho began running this week and is expected to rejoin workouts in Former OU quarterback to play in all-star game Other Oklahomans in the Blue-Gray game Justin Fuente joins five players with Oklahoma ties on the Gray squad.

Oklahoma State has three representatives in defensive back Evan Howell, linebacker Jack Golden and offensive lineman Adam Davis. The last time OSU had three players selected for the Blue-Gray was 1991 kicker Cary Blanchard, tailback Gerald Hudson and offensive lineman Scott Webb. Defensive back Todd Franz is the first Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the Blue-Gray since offensive lineman Brian Newnam in 1996. Navy offensive lineman Terrence Anderson Is a former Stillwater High standout. By Scott Munn Staff Writer Almost two vears after transfer ring from the University of Oklahoma, Justin Fuente has another chance to show Deorjle he can be a previous cases.

Elliott hospitalized with flu San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott remained hospitalized with the flu. Elliott, who had a kidney transplant in August, was admitted over the weekend to Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio. Hospital officials refused to give his condition. SOCCER U.S. players plan boycott Labor strife has followed success for the U.S.

women's soccer team. Angered by stalled contract negotiations with the U.S. Soccer Federation, players on the Women's World Cup champions said they will boycott the Australia Cup tournament next month. The contract the players signed in 1996 expired six months ago and, according to John B. Langel, a lawyer for the players, the USSF said it will not make a new proposal in the near future.

Instead, the federation and proposed the players work under terms of the expired agreement. The American women had been scheduled to travel to Australia on Jan. 2 to play in the Australia Cup against the Czech Republic, Sweden and Australia. Also in jeopardy are two games scheduled for February in Florida. HORSE RACING 'Milkshakes' banned The Kentucky Racing Commission voted unanimously to ban the controversial thoroughbred racing practice known as "milkshaking." Milkshakes are a mixture of baking soda, confectioner's sugar, water and sometimes electrolytes delivered to a horse's stomach via a tube through the animal's nose and esophagus.

Some horsemen believe milkshaking reduces fatigue and helps speed recovery from the rigors of racing. However, some research has shown rnilkshaking may mask the presence of illegal drugs in a horse's system. After Louisiana banned milkshakes last Friday, Kentucky was left as the only state where milkshakes were legal. COLLEGE ATHLETICS Court reverses ruling A federal appeals court in Philadelphia reversed a lower-court ruling and decided that the NCAA may use minimum standardized test scoros in determining the eligibility of freshman athletes. The lower court in March struck down the eligibility requirement, ruling that it was unfair to blacks.

Four black athletes had sued the association for not allowing them to play or denying them scholarships because thoir test scores were not high enough. In a 2-1 opinion, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that since the NCAA did not directly receive Moral funding, it was not subject to with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that forbids discrimination on basis of race, color or national origin. Kentucky AD to retire Kentucky athletic director CM. whose work aa chairman of the "JCAA basketball tournament made him me of the nation's best-known college iports administrators, said he will rotire loxt summer.

The 69-year-old Newton lad indicated for the last six months that le planned to leave when his four-year sontract expires. BOM WIRE REPORTS big-time quarterback. Not in major-college football. Pro Justin, but those guys hold their cards so close to their vest. They really don't like to disclose much." Fuente was Ohio Valley Conference player of the year after setting league records for single-season passing yards, touchdowns and total offense.

He completed 240 of 400 passes for 3,497 yards and 27 touchdowns. The former Tulsa Union High School star accounted for 3,407 total yards. Fuente was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which honors the top offensive player in Division I-AA. "I'm going to try and have some fun here, play loose," Fuente said Tuesday from Montgomery. "It's nice to know that people think enough of your skills to invite you to something like this." Records and rewards have overshadowed Fuente's background at OU, when he threw for 2,289 yards over two seasons while sharing time with Eric Moore and Brandon Daniels.

An unhappy Fuente transferred to Murray State in January 1998, after then-OU coach John Blake switched the Soonors to an option offense, Fuente used the move to Ken- football. An PsHmaterl 200 NFL reoresenta- tives will attend the 62nd annual Blue-Gray All-Star Classic on nhristmafi riflv in Monteomerv. Ala. Fuente, who spent his junior and senior seasons at Murray State will play for the Gray squad in the nationally televised (ABC, 11 tucky to showcase an arm that totaled 6,119 yards and 68 career TDs as a high-schooler. He set or tied a dozen Murray State records.

Scouts see Fuente under fire again on Saturday. They'll judge his arm strength, question his foot speed. Until then, he and 77 other players will be tested in various areas. "We haven't done any physical tests. We won't run or lift or anything like that here," Fuente said.

"But they give you quite a battery of written exams. Hours and hours of filling out stuff." a.m.) game. think he has shown both here (Murray State) and Oklahoma what ran rln." Murrav State coach Denver Johnson said. "A lot of pro i.i i .1 scouts nave come mrougn anu taken a look at him. Everybody I've talked to feels pretty good about Horned Frogs upend Pirates By The Associated Prims Mfmii.rc Ain r.fiDainian Tomlinson MOBILE ALABAMA BOWL TCU-Tomllnion 3 run (Kaylaklo kick), 10:34 Second Quarlor TCU-Sciirborouoh Jl past from Prlnlon (Kavlakleklck).

7:00 TCU-Tomllnion 3 run (Knylaklo kick), Third Quartet ECU-WMonl3run (Minor fourth Quarter TCU-Gary 3J Inlorcopllon rulurn (Kavlaklo Kick), 14:04 Holiday Basketball Tradition ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns Wednesday night to lead Texas Christian to a 28-14 victory over No, 20 East Carolina in the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl. Tf urn a thn nnrtnnri consecutive bowl UUSOt 4 Weiliiwtlny, December 19 A 34,200. tcu ecu 19 First dnwni Smillicm Nnnrcno lllmwn v. UklMmmn Itaplwi llbmni for TCU (8-4), which knocked off heavily favored Southern Cal In last year's Sun Bowl. 54-166 J-(-lel 339 p.m.

6 p.m. 11 p.m. AikMimi Stoic v. Vnlparita Oklnlwmit vi. Ml.

Si. East Carolina (8-3) was ravorea Dy six points at game time. Paiilno Comn-AIMnl 13-19-1 RolurnYardi Punti-Avo, Fumbioi-Loit Ponallloi-Yardi Tlma of Ponomlon Ji Tlwnitoy, December 30 Thundny, December 30 30-37-1 35 0-0 3-1S 34:40 That didn't bother mo Horned Frogs, wno APPAREL Great Selectlonl Okliilinmn vi, Allileloi I'lril .1 p.m. 6 p.m, 8 p.m. confused East Carolina with a two- l.nior Owns 2 n.

I.owr (tame ,1 Winner (lame 2 Winner Clonic .1 quarterback option attack and holding mo Pirates' running gamo to mlnus-16 yards. Advance Ticket Sulci $20 $17 $15 (per Minion) INDIVIDUAL ITATIITICf RUSHINO-TCU, Tomllnion 36-134, Ballonux -37, Prlnton 7-37, Layno l-lnllnui 3). ECU, Henry 4-33, Wllwn 9-16, Aliton l-lmlnm 7), Slokoi 3-(mlnui 14), Gnrrnrd 10-(mlnui33), PASSING-rcu, Prlnlon 13-19-1-174. ECU, Garrard I9-3J-I-191, Anion l-J-O-49, RECEIVING TCU, Tomllnion 4-33, Scarborouoh 3-49, irtaldon 3-41, Dunbar 3-16, batlou 1-17, Jnmoi 1-13, Drown 1-9, ECU, Wllion 0-33, Chnppoll 5-1 16, Powoll 3-67, Slokei 3-9, Floyd Ml, Honrv Burni 1-4, 7 14 7 38 7 0 7 014 Texai Christian Bit Carolina Myriiul llox Ofllco A CI) Wurohotno 297-3000 mI Ai.arlA I II, HUWIVI ecu-PowolJ so pan from Garrard (Millar kick), 13:31.