Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 35

Rox Rally Fans turned out for a Colorado Rockies appreciation rally. PAGE D3 Index NFL Scoreboard Auto Racing D3 D4 D5 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2007 Sports editor David Mayberry can be reached at (307) 266-0573, 1-800-79 1 -5002 Of david mayberryiffcasperstartnbune net SECTION WYOMING FO0TBALL LiLlL StarTribune 5 A PORTS 111 'in' 1 ii" urn in iM-Mn in iiiiimiiiiwimihii mm piMjyi, miiiii iiainiiimiiH.1 n.1 iniiiiiiiiiinn' utm.imn.mmimil ii.m iniii.uiiiunii mil Cowboys stand behind assistant i mm I By AUSTIN WARD Star-Tnbune staff writer It was slipped in expertly and hardly emphasized at all. If Wyoming coach Joe Glenn was offering a told-you-so after the Cowboys' 29-24 win over UNLV, he did it as subtly as possible. "The offense needed to score some points and get it going, but I've never felt like we had a problem," Glenn said. "The defense has got to hope that we' larnmnifmii Dan Cepeda, Star-Tribune Matt Warneke, right general manager for the Casper Ghosts, unveils the new logos and name for Casper's minor league baseball team during a press conference on Wednesday at the Wonder Bar in Casper.

While the team officially changed its name from the Casper Rockies to the Casper Ghosts, it will still be affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. score pretty COCKHILL soon, but we stayed hard at it. "We've got to catch the ball and do the things that you have to do to move the football, and finally it kicked in. I thought (offensive coordinator Bill) Cockhill called a great game." The clever mention of the much-maligned coordinator was nothing if not a reminder who's calling the offensive shots and a possible confidence-booster for Cockhill. Please see UW, D2 Casper Rockies change nickname, logos to Ghosts Cowboys Tracker SATURDAY: Wyoming at San Diego State RECORDS: Cowboys (5-3, 2-2 Mountain West Conference); Aztecs (2-5, 1-2 MWC) COCKHILL CORNER: UW is still standing behind offensive coordinator Bill Cockhill, who's come under fire this season for his play-calling but helped deliver a critical comeback win over UNLV last week.

"We think with the new name, the new look, the new logo, that it's not only going to be popular here in Casper, but nationally and internationally." KEVIN HAUGHIAN Cljxt Gl ii ists team i nt'r and CKO "The appeal was limited to our diehard fans in town. We think with the new name, the new look, the new logo, that it's not only going to be popular here in Casper, but nationally and internationally." Haughian said most minor-league teams try to create an identity different from the major-league club. He said that of the 159 teams in the minors, 124 have their own name. Haughian said the majority of the teams that don't have a unique name are owned by the parent team. Haughian said he is trying to duplicate the success of the Lake Elsi-.

nore (Calif.) Storm, a team he used to work for, with the name change. Please see GHOSTS, D3 By DAVID BUCK Star-Tribune staff writer The Casper Rockiea have, a new name and new look. The team announced that they will now be known as the Casper Ghosts, and unveiled four new logos for the team at a press conference Tuesday at the Wonder Bar. "The future in professional baseball in Casper is the Casper Ghosts," said Matt Warneke, the Ghosts' general manager. Naming Casper's minor-league baseball team the Ghosts is not a new idea.

Team owner and CEO Kevin Haughian initially wanted to name the team the Ghosts when he moved them here from Butte, fol- wanted the name change to create a unique identity for the team. Haughian said economics also played a role in the change. "The Casper Rockies brand never really took off, unfortunately. If folks wanted to buy merchandise they were going to buy Colorado merchandise, not Casper," Haughian said. lowing the 2000 season.

Haughian said there was a deal in place for the team to be named the Ghosts, but that former Colorado Rockies CEO Jerry McMorris wanted all Rockies' affiliates to be called the Rockies and Haughian complied. The Ghosts remain an affiliate of the big-league Rockies, but the team i. 'I; "'w i fly Casper's change: A quick look at the Rockies' makeover and with the cartoonish in with the Out with the old. 4 v7 -J The logo of the former Casper Rockies, which had been used since the dub's start in 2001. Casper the Friendly Ghost will appear on a pair of alternate, child-friendly logos.

The organization's "Fierce Baseball" logo will be the most common logo used in association with the team, including caps and jerseys. ARROGANCE IS BLISS Kobe Bryant top, and Alex Rodriguez Superstars aren't always the winners T-Birds take top seed into tourney T-Birds Tracker WHAT: 2007 Region IX Volleyball Tournament WHEN: Today through Saturday. WHERE Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. WHATS AT STAKE: For the winner, a tnp to the NJCAA national Tournament SCHEDULE Page D2. The baseball season ended with an arrogant superstar taking some of the fun out of the World Series.

Two days later, the basketball season began with an arrogant superstar telling everyone he's no longer having any fun. Tim Dahlbcrg THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Alex Rodriguez is so greedy he can't get by on just $25 million a year anymore. Kobe Bryant is so self-absorbed he can't figure out why Jerry Buss doesn't just give him the Los Angeles Lakers and let him pick his own teammates. One of the perks, of course, of being a superstar is that you're able to get away with just about anything. Please see DAHLBERG.

D4 pushing more than what they're used to. "I really think the injuries helped us in the long run." The most difficult injury to overcome was to Julia Gruszecka's ankle, which caused her to miss a stretch of games in the middle of the season and forced defensive specialist Bridget Neal into Gruszecka's outside hitter role. Now, with the powerful Gruszecka back on the outside, Neal has returned to her libera role. And the team has benefited. "I thought Bridget really stepped it up on the defensive end the last two matches," Sharman said.

"And when she plays well our other people play well." Those other people include outside hitter Agata Dawidow-icz and middle hitters Maja Je-chorek and Vanessa Muir, along Please see T-BIRDS. D2 By JACK NOWLIN Star-Tribune staff writer After going through most of the season with players in unfamiliar positions because of injuries, a healthy Casper College volleyball team showed just how good it can be last week with victories over Sheridan College and Western Wyoming Community College. The two victories, combined with Central Wyoming College's win over Western, gave Casper the Region IX regular-season championship. The T-Birds will be looking to double their pleasure at the Region IX Volleyball Tournament, which begins today at WWCC in Rock Springs. "I am very excited," T-Bird head coach Angel Sharman said of the tournament, "because I know this team's potential.

I knew what they could do, but they had to see it for themselves. And I think they see that now." Sharman said the early-season injuries proved to be beneficial in the long run. "When we had those injuries people had to step up into different spots," she said. "So even though now we're back in our normal positions, people are Casper College's Maja Jechorek serves the bail to Northwest Coilege during a match in October. The Thundefbirds open play in the Region IX North tournament today in Rock Springs..