Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 19

Eagles hire Andy Reid By KEN BERGER AP Sports Writer coach or an NFL coordinator and the first to jump from position coach to head coach since Art Shell with the Raiders in 1989. But Holmgren's assistants have an impressive track record. Reid would join Rhodes, Gruden and San Francisco's Steve Mariucci as former Holmgren assistants to land head coachingjobs. "They've all done it, and I haven't done it," Reid said last week. "Do I think I can do it? Sure.

I have a lot of confidence in myself." The Eagles could have interviewed Jacksonville offensive coordinator Chris Palmer today after the Jaguars were eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak and Minnesota offensive coordinator Brian Billick also were on Philadelphia's list, but their teams are still alive. Holmgren was the Eagles' first choice, but he left the Packers and signed a $32 million, four-year contract to be coach and general manager in Seattle. The Eagles decided to move quickly on Reid, who was impressive in his first interview on Thursday, because Reid was See EAGLES, page 23 PHILADELPHIA (AP) Unable to land Mike Holmgren, the Philadelphia Eagles settled for his hottest protege. The Eagles hired Green Bay quarterbacks coach Andy Reid to be their new head coach, introducing him at a news conference today after agreeing to a five-year contract believed to be worth $5 million.

"I'm tremendously happy to be part of the Philadelphia Eagles," Reid said. "This is the first step in putting the Philadelphia Eagles back on the map." Reid, who served on Holmgren's staff in Green Bay for seven years, accepted the Eagles' offer to succeed fired coach Ray Rhodes late Sunday night. He emerged as the team's top choice in a field that included Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, fired Carolina coach Dom Capers and Oakland defensive coordinator Willie Shaw. "Today the turnaround begins," team owner Jeffrey Lurie said. Reid, 40, becomes the second-youngest head coach in the NFL after Oakland's Jon Gruden, 35.

Reid is the only head coach in the league who has not served either as a college head J) ASSOCIATED PRESS New Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid (left) accepts a team helmet from team owner Jeffrey Lurie. Standard-Speaker HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA Sports JANUARY 12, 1999 PAGE 21 Rhodes new GB head coach By DAVE GOLDBERG AP Football Writer JT Tiv Ron Wolf and I respect what he thinks more than anyone else I know," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said today. "His decision is obviously going to be a great one." Rhodes' hiring is part of an unusual exchange, with Packers quarterbacks coach Andy Reid going to the Eagles as head coach. "The Holmgren era is over," Packers safety LeRoy Butler told the Journal Sentinel. "He'll be his own man and he'll let everyone else be their own man.

It's time for Ray to take over. "I think the team will be tougher. I think last year we had a lot of games where we weren't tough and physical enough. I know that's something he will stress and something we need." Rhodes, 48, came to Green Bay from the San Francisco 49ers with Holmgren and was his defensive coordinator in 1992 and 1993 before returning to the 49ers as defensive coordinator in 1994. He became the coach at Philadelphia the next year.

Wolf said Friday he needed a coach who had been part of a championship team and who could provide a "little electrical shock" for the players. Rhodes has five Super Bowl rings from his time spent on the staff of the 49ers. During See RHODES, page 23 Ray Rhodes, fired as the Philadelphia Eagles' coach two weeks ago, was hired as coach of the Green Bay Packers today, succeeding Mike Holmgren. Rhodes, speaking at a news conference at Lambeau Field, said his new job was "a dream come true." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, quoting unidentified sources, said Rhodes received a four-year contract that will pay him about $1 million a year, about half what Holmgren made before leaving for Seattle last week to become coach and general manager. Rhodes, one of five coaches let go on "Black Monday," had been Holmgren's defensive coordinator at Green Bay until leaving five seasons ago.

He became coach of the Eagles in 1995 and was honored as coach of the year after leading Philadelphia to a 10-6 record. This season, the Eagles were 3-13. Rhodes' appointment solves a major problem for the NFL he was one of only three black coaches in the league and most of the prospects for coachingjobs are white. However, several blacks remain in the running Sherman Lewis, the Packers' offensive coordinator for the Chicago job; former Philadelphia defensive coordinator ASSOCIATED PRESS Ray Rhodes is the new head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Emmitt Thomas for Baltimore; Art Shell, the former Raiders coach and Atlanta's offensive line coach, for Cleveland; and perhaps one or two others.

"I don't know anything about Ray Rhodes, but I know a lot about (general manager) Flyers zip Predators, 8-0 Jordan will retire ASSOCIATED PRESS Marty Schottehheimer resigned Monday as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Schottenheimer retires as Chiefs' head coach By DOUG TUCKER AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Marty Schottenheimer quit as coach of the Kansas City Chiefs today following a season in which his team was one of the NFL's biggest disappointments. "After 10 years it's time to give someone else an opportunity to implement their plan," he said. "I've decided to take a break, to take some time and relax." The announcement, which had been widely speculated since Sunday, followed Schottenheimer's first losing season an NFL coach, in which the Chiefs finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs.

The frustration culminated with a Monday night game in November when the Chiefs committed five personal fouls on Denver's final touchdown drive in a 30-7 loss. A seething Schottenheimer apologized and said he'd never been so embarrassed. Owner Lamar Hunt called the episode a disgrace to the team and the city. Hunt said he reluctantly accepted Schottenheimer's resignation, adding it marked the end of "golden era" for the Chiefs. The owner said he twice asked Schottenheimer to reconsider, and the decision became final only this morning.

Schottenheimer said he had spent the last two weeks discussing his job with the Chiefs with his wife, Pat, and that they had reached a mutual decision. Schottenheimer said he had no immediate plans. "I've never been retired before," Schottenheimer said. "At this juncture, I really don't know. I'm going to work on my golf game.

Pat and I are going to travel. I may even get back into my aviation pursuits." Schottenheimer said his resignation had nothing to do with marital problems, calling the rumors "absolutely false and untrue." Schottenheimer had a franchise-record winning percentage of .636 (101-58-1) in 10 seasons in Kansas City, but the past season was especially disheartening. Unbeaten streak at 14 PHILADELPHIA (AP) John LeClair had two goals and an assist and John Vanbiesbrouck gained his second straight shutout as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Nashville Predators 8-0 Monday night to extend their unbeaten streak to 14 games. It was the third straight shutout for the Flyers and the first time in Vanbiesbrouck's career that he had recorded back-to-back shutouts. LeClair, who leads the NHL with 25 goals, had two of Philadelphia's season-high four power-play goals against the Predators, who are last in the NHL in penalty killing on the road.

It was the Flyers' highest offensive output of the season. Eric Lindros, who also had three assists, Dan McGillis, Keith Jones, Daymond Langkow, Eric Desjardins, and Alexandre Daigle also scored as the Flyers improved their record See FLYERS, page 22 CHICAGO (AP) Michael Jordan, regarded as the greatest player and greatest draw in NBA history, will announce his retirement from the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, The Associated Press has learned. Jordan's retirement also was reported by The New York Times, USA Today and The Denver Post. Jordan, whose final shot last season brought the Bulls their sixth championship of the decade, will retire for the second time in five years, a source who asked not to be identified told the AP. There had been considerable speculation as to Jordan's future since NBA players and owners reached a settlement last Wednesday to end the six-month lockout.

But the six-time playoff MVP has decided to retire at age 35. ASSOCIATED PRESS Nashville Predators' goalie Tomas Vokoun stops a shot by Eric Lindros of the Phildelphia Flyers. Mile High Stadium next stop for Jets dreamers tin dropped the ball. Testaverde threw an in run and Don Maynard and George Sauer to catch A terception in the fourth quarter that gave the Jaguars their last chance. The Jets let Brunell throw a touchdown bomb on the last play of the Prst half, when the game should have been over already.

And they nearly gave up a touchdown to Reggie Barlow on a kickoff return. The game should have been over at 17-0 for the Jets and 24-7 for the Jets and 31-14 for the Jets and never was, no matter how many amazingly stupid plays the Jaguars made. But every time the Jaguars would come bapk, either Testaverde would make another third-down throw or Martin would make a big run or Johnson would do something, and the Jets would still have enough room, on their way to Mile High Stadium and a fight with the champ. And the crowd at Giants Stadium, the biggest sports crowd in the history of the place only the See LUPICA, page 23 When it was over, when he was finally in the AFC championship game, Vinny Testaverde ran underneath the goal posts with the game ball under his right arm, ran through the green-and-white confetti that came from the upper deck at Giants Stadium and underneath the sign that read "www.newyorkjets.com." This was more than a Web site, of course. This was Testaverde's dream, a huge chunk of it anyway -Giants Stadium looking this way, the day sounding this way, the Jets on their way to Denver, their shot at the Broncos with a Super Bowl on the line.

Vinny, who grew up with Namath's picture on the wall in Elmont, finally gets Namath's kind of action, against the odds the rest of the way. "You know, I was sitting with Vinny the other day and I said, 'Hey, if we win, this is as close as you've ever been, isn't David Meggett was saying after the Jets beat the Jaguars, 34-24. "And he looks at me and he says, Yeah it is.m the ball. Curtis Martin gained 124 yards And scored a touchdown and Keyshawn Johnson caught nine balls for 121 yards and scored two touchdowns, one of them on a reverse. At the end, Parcells had Keyshawn on the field when Jacksonville's Mark Brunell threw a desperation pass, and Johnson even got himself an interception.

If he is anywhere between the tunnels, the ball will find Johnson, the way the spotlight finds him, and microphones always find his great big mouth. Touchdown reception for Keyshawn. Rushing touchdown on an end-around. Fumble recovery after a Jets fumble. Interception.

There hasn't been a performance like this since before two-platoon football. The Jets made their mistakes, for sure, in a game they should have won by four touchdowns and if they make mistakes like this against the Broncos they will lose by four touchdowns. Mar Meggett, who has won a Super Bowl with Bill Parcells' Giants and played in another with Parcells' Pats, smiled now. "I said, "Vinny, how does it And he said, 'Dave, it feels goooood.m Once you get past the coach, the quarterback is the star of this Jets team the way Namath was the star of the team. Vinny Testaverde was not the only star against the Jaguars.

Namath wasn't the only star in '69. He had Matt Snell to.