Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 29

I 1 Rangers Game Day 4D US Open Report 9D Tuesday September 4 2001 STAR-TELEGRAM WWWDFWCOM A Today The 'catch' with Pudge RANGERS History shows that Ivan Rodriguez is getting to an age when catchers start to slow down COLLEGES Miami passes Florida at top of AP poll A sound victory over Penn State helps Miami overtake Florida for the top spot in the weekly Associated Press media poll Story on 8D o' i I Tonight RANGERS vs TWINS 7:05 pm The Ballpark in Arlington TV: KIVICh 27 I I By TR SULLIVAN STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER He has started nine consecutive All-Star Games and won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves He has been named his league's MVP He might be the greatest player at his position He is going to the Hall of Fame But now he is 30 He is slowing down He is having serious doubts about how much longer he is going to play So Johnny Bench tells the New York Times: "1 Want to win but there's the grind There's so much responsibility for a catcher I have to contribute on offense and work with the pitching too I've got a fine contract I should play for five more years "But then I ask myself if that's what I really want My arm feels good My legs will be all right How has always been compared to during his current reign as the best catcher in the American League Rodriguez who turns 30 on Nov 30 has patella tendinitis in his left knee and has missed three consecutive games The Rangers will know more about the injury today when he meets with Dr John Conway the club's orthopedist and other club officials "He's not going to play until the doctor says it's OK and he says it's OK" Rangers manager Jerry Narron said "Where we are now in the season and the standings there is no point to push him If he says he doesn't feel well enough to p14 he won't play But I know he wants to play We're going to take it day by day" But like Bench who made those More on RANGERS on 4D i Sooners picking up where they left off The biggest question about the Oklahoma Sooners' defense of their national championship quarterbacking is being answered in aces by Nate Hybl Story on 7D long will I go on? How long can I go on? How long do I want to go on playing baseball? Is this what it's 'like to be 30?" That was the scene in 1978 when i Bench was unanimously considered the best catcher in baseball a player without peer at his position Now Ivan Rodriguez approaches 130 and his situation starts to appear familiar to the one player that he 4' t) STAR-TELEGRAMSHARON STEINMAN Ivan Rodriguez is one of baseball's all-time greatest catchers but the wear and tear of the position might be catching up with him 1 t1 Longhorns offense runs with an attitude Texas players are counting on an "in-your-face" approach to the ground game to be the catalyst for a run at a national championship Story on 3D "It's never easy to push contract stuff aside to not think about it but you have to do it Whether I'm playing out an option or have an extension it won't change how I'll play My goal doesn't change because of my contract: Stari goalie Eddie Bellour Rookie no-hits Padres 4 1 TENNIS 1 Cardinals' Smith strikes out seven BELFOUlt As Eddie Be 'four concentrates on making the Canadian Olympic team he's not sweating about his Stars contract that expires at the end of this season es on ic eason By BERNIE WILSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS i Sampras leads US rush in Open Tenth-seeded Pete Sampras turns back the clock capping a patriotic day in which four American players advance to the US Open quarterfinals Story on 9D SAN DIEGO Bud Smith became the loth rookie in modem history to throw a no-hitter and the second unlikely pitcher to do it to San Diego this season in St Louis' 4-0 victory Monday SMITH night CardiflaI14 Smith making his Ilth career Poore start showed the poise of a veteran in becoming the first rookie to throw a no-hitter since the Cardinals' Jose Jimenez did it in a 1-0 victory against Arizona on June 251999 Smith ended the game by fielding Phil Nevin's hard come- backer pumping his fist and r'') running halfway to first base before flipping to Albert Pujols for the final out This was the first time Smith a native Southern Californian More on SMITH on 5D By JENNIFER FLOYD STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER IRVING Ed Belfour is one season away from being a 37-year-old goalie without a job Not that one of the best goalies in the world sounds concerned that he could be unemployed when his Stars contract expires at the end of the season "I don't think that will happen I think somebody will want me" Belfour said "For sure I'd like that someone to be Dallas and end my career here But I'm not going to worry about it" He's got other things on his mind anyway like getting the Stars back to the Stanley Cup Finals and being named Team Canada's goalie in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City He figures if he takes care of those things the contract will take care of itself Besides the extra motivation can't hurt "If a carrot is out there Ed is the kind of guy who will grab that opportunity and make it very very difficult not to pick him" said Stars coach Ken Hitchcock who is one of the assistant coaches for Team Canada "How can you not consider a guy who has been the backbone for this team?" But Belfour isn't guaranteed anything as he travels to Calgary as one of the four goalies invited to attend this week's Olympic training camp which goes today through Friday In fact some analysts suggest his More on BUXOM on 7D season "I don't think that will happen I think somebody will want me" Belfour said "For sure I'd like that someone to be Dallas and end my career here But I'm not going to worry about it" He's got other things on his mind anyway like getting the Stars back to the Stanley Cup Finals and being named Team Canada's goalie in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City He figures if he takes care of those things the contract will take care of itself Besides the extra motivation can't hurt "If a carrot is out there Ed is the kind of guy who will grab that opportunity and make it very very difficult not to pick him" said Stars coach Ken Hitchcock who is one of the assistant coaches for Team Canada "I low can you not consider a guy who has been the backbone for this team?" But Belfour isn't guaranteed anything as he travels to Calgary as one of the four goalies invited to attend this week's Olympic training camp which goes today through Friday In fact some analysts suggest his More on BELFOUR on 7D ay from orld HORSE RACING Ausual Suspect wins All American Futurity Ausual Suspect rallies from last in the final 100 yards to win the All American Futurity the world's richest quarter horse race Story on 7D :4 STAR-TELEGRAM SHARON STEINMAN I '-s l'04 i '14 -0- 4Ln b46: I to tov Nt 0 CIA 044(004: -k icar it 'x ii c1-' i 0 41 0 1 '111' A uwI 14 0 A 1 i STAR TELEGRAM SHARON STEINMAN A 47 44''' ir4- A ea 447 a '41101 I IV i i i 4 tt I 6 A A00 -v' 7) I 1 i' I 4 lo I I Talk comes cheap HOCKEY Tornado counting on its newcomers The Texas Tornado is picked to repeat as champion of the North American Hockey League but coach Tony Curtale says a lot of newcomers will have to help the team come together Story on 7D i SCORES Cornerback Mgail Kareem Larrimore grew up having his way In South Central Los Angeles Now he's learning its the Cowboys' way or the highway AL 5-6D Yankees 7 Devil Rays Blue Jays 5 at Mariners Indians 6 Athletics 4 White Sox 3 Orioles 2 I pl 1 0 ti-aLALmMiotooawmalowameet0 NI 5-6D Braves 5 Brewers 12 Expos 0 Pirates 7 Mets 10 Pirates 3 Phil lies 7 Brewers 2 Reds 3 Rockies 4 Astros 2 Giants 1 Cubs 10 Cardinals 4 Marlins 2 Padres 0 Brewers 12 Pirates 7 2 1 i I Sometimes working is a pleasue By CLARENCE HILL JR STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER IRVING a movie were to be done on problematic Cowboys cornerback Kareem Larrimore it would be titled Spoiled from the I food Larrimore grew up in gang-infested South Central Los Angeles Ile has been shot at and has engaged in a fair share of street fights The Cowboys point to Larrimore's background as a reason for being patient with the talented but nerve-wracking cornerback But their leeway has had more to do with their sensitivity to him being raised in an environment of free passes that dates to childhood and continued through college than it does with him having to overcome a hood element More on COWBOYS on ()I) INDEX ri1-om ar Laboring on Labor Day? Not when you're a sportswriter playing catch-up Its Just good to be back in the saddle again Nil 60 RODEO 90 SCORE BOARD TOD TENNIS 90 THE DAILY TICKET 20 BASEBALL 4-60 BRIEFLY 90 COLLEGES 307-80 GOLF 10D HOCKEY HORSE RACING 70 1 1 1 4 1 0 4 oc t'i'4 01 Jim Reeves t'OMMENTARY seat in the press box at The Ballpark in Arlington Texas Stadium or some other venue I Icy for all TCU coach Gary Patterson knows when I ring him up for an interview I'm wearing coat and tic and Italian loafers Actually Gary already probably knows me better than that Especially the tic and the Italian loafers But you get the idea More on REEVES on 91) Yesterday was Labor Day and I was sitting in front of the computer working again I felt like shooting off fireworks to be quite honest I wanted to pop the top on a Diet Coke and pass it around the campfire Break out the hot dogs (fat-free for me please) and the marshmallows Let's get down and dirty It's party time OK so you were off Monday and I wasn't Big deal I was wearing a pair of baggy shorts and a T-shirt and wiggling my bare toes On the carpet under my desk This is my normal work attire when I'm not manning a titlitt 'Ito To help you quickly navigate the Star-Telegram look for summaries with our longer stories Each summary begins with a topic label in white type on a black bar at 1.