FOOTBALL, HOCKEY, NBA THE HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009 www.hpe.com
Bengals track families in Somoa
Meyer: Tebow ‘ terrific’ GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Urban Meyer says quarterback Tim Tebow is improving after sustaining a concussion. Meyer said Wednesday on the weekly Southeastern Conference teleconference that Tebow “looked terrific� when he saw him late Tuesday night. “That’s the best I’ve seen him,� Meyer said. Meyer also saw Tebow earlier Tuesday, when the coach went through balance and memory tests with his star player, and said he just looked OK. Tebow spent Saturday night in a Kentucky hospital after sustaining a concussion during a third-quarter sack against the Wildcats. Tebow did not practice Monday or Tuesday.
Boise St. eyes BCS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Boise State Broncos are breathing some rare BCS air. The fifth-ranked Broncos have climbed higher and faster than any nonBCS team in the controversial system’s 12-year history. The Broncos, pride of the Western Athletic Conference, have shouldered in front of three storied powers — USC, Oklahoma and Ohio State, each with one loss. Now Boise State is trying to scale the college football equivalent of Mount Everest and become the first team from outside the six BCS conferences to play for a national title.
FSU likely to start Thomas TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Jermaine Thomas is running again with the first team at Florida State. Coach Bobby Bowden said Wednesday the sophomore tailback likely will have the starting assignment when the Seminoles visit Boston College on Saturday. Thomas started the opener against Miami, but has just 10 carries the last three games as Florida State coaches rotate their backs.
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AP
North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson (16) weaves through the Murray State defense during the Wolfpack’s 65-7 win on Sept. 12. State will take on much more difficult obstacles in the Wake Forest defense on the road at BB&T Field and a traffic jam when it returns to Raleigh after the game on Saturday.
State faces two potential road blocks on Saturday THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tom O’Brien and North Carolina State are bracing for another potential headache — one that could be just as tricky as Wake Forest’s offense. After playing the Demon Deacons Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, the Wolfpack will have to navigate U2 concert traffic on their bus ride home. The rock band is performing at N.C. State’s home field, Carter-Finley Stadium, in front of some 60,000 fans. “They’re going to have to bus us in here somehow,� O’Brien said. The N.C. State coach isn’t overly concerned about damage to the Wolfpack’s grass playing field. Back-to-back U2 shows in Chicago left the turf at Soldier Field shredded, and by the time the Bears played their next game there, the surface had been resodded. “I probably shouldn’t be so quick to say no, but it’s been done in the past, and I know there haven’t been problems,� O’Brien said. “We won’t know until it happens.� O’Brien was the grand marshal of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Raleigh, but he shrugged off a suggestion to sneak into the stadium and listen to noted Irishman Bono.
“I really don’t know too much about (U2) ... but (my son) asked me if I was still alive when the Steve Miller Band was playing,� O’Brien quipped. “I told him, ’No, I’m still brain dead. I haven’t been around since then.�’
JAYBO IS BACK Georgia Tech’s Jaybo Shaw is expected to return and could give quarterback Josh Nesbitt a break this weekend against Mississippi State. Nesbitt had a career-high 32 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over North Carolina, but looked winded late in the game. Shaw, back from broken collarbone, could give coach Paul Johnson a chance to allow Nesbitt a breather. “It might be a situation where we can give Josh a series (off),� Johnson said. “I think it’s always good if you can get over on the side and watch a series if things aren’t going great. “Jaybo was playing really well when he got hurt so it will be interesting to see how he comes back. You certainly have a comfort level with him because he knows what is going on and he knows what is
supposed to be happening.�
A SPITTING IMAGE Under coordinator Bud Foster, Virginia Tech’s defense has finished in the top five — first twice and fourth twice — in defense in the past five seasons. So Foster was understandably displeased when they fell to 77th overall in the nation two weeks ago. After being challenged by the coach to live up to tradition, the Hokies rebounded last week by holding No. 17 Miami to 209 yards. Linebacker Cody Grimm said Foster’s methods aren’t always pleasant, but effective. “I don’t wear a visor, but you would hope to have a visor on usually because stuff will be flying in your face as he gets going,� Grimm said of Foster’s rants. “He can coach hard. “When he’s (angry), you don’t want to be in the front of the huddle. He always messes around about it as well, but he’ll start yelling and sometimes a little saliva might get on you. ... Whenever he gets on you like that, you have to learn from it and realize that he’s yelling at you for a reason — he wants you to play the best football that you can.�
Big East, Big 12 set for Yankee Stadium bowl NEW YORK (AP) — The teams are set, one from the Big East, one from the Big 12. The site: The new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium. Now all the new bowl game in the Bronx needs is a name before its debut in December 2010.
“If you’re looking for suggestions, maybe we should call it the Jeter Bowl,� Bronx Borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. said Wednesday at a news conference to announce the bowl. The leagues and the New York Yankees have
a four-year agreement in place, running through the 2013 season. The payout to each team will be about $2 million. For the Yankees, they get another event they hope will fill their 57,545-seat stadium. “The game underscores our promise to use Yan-
kees Stadium year-round,� said Yankees president Randy Levine, who presided over a gathering at the stadium that included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and the commissioners from each conference.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene had tears in his eyes as he recalled the moment his phone call finally got through to his mother in American Samoa. Fanene and two other Cincinnati Bengals players spent a tense night Tuesday trying to track down family and friends in their homeland, parts of which were devastated by a tsunami. Dozens were killed and many are missing on the South Pacific islands. Fanene, defensive lineman Domata Peko and rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga had trouble getting calls through to relatives in American Samoa. All three said Wednesday that their immediate family members seem to be all right.
Anderson replaces Quinn THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BEREA, Ohio — Derek Anderson will replace Brady Quinn and start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against Cincinnati. Coach Eric Mangini has decided to go with Anderson, a Pro Bowler in 2007, over Quinn, a former first-round draft pick who opened the season as Cleveland’s starter, but was benched at halftime last Sunday in Baltimore. Mangini believes the Browns have a better chance to move the ball with Anderson. “I’m excited about the opportunity,� Anderson said. “We’re all competitors, we all want to play. I’m ready to go.�
NO HASSELBECK BRENTON, Wash. — The Seahawks are planning to be without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and best blocker Walter Jones again on Sunday. Coach Jim Mora said Wednesday he does not expect his three-time Pro Bowl passer or his nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle to play at the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.
Ward inks $37-million deal with ‘Canes RALEIGH (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up goaltender Cam Ward for six more years. The Hurricanes on Wednesday signed Ward to a $37.8 million contract that begins next season and runs through 2015-16. The new deal will pay the fifth-year goalie an average of $6.3 million per year. He will earn $3.5 million this season under the terms of his current three-year deal signed in 2007, which expires after this season. The
new deal prevents him from becoming a restricted free agent. “The pressure’s going to be there to play like an elite goaltender now that I’m being paid like one,� Ward said. “That’s not something that I’ve shied away (from) in the past, and that’s why I ultimately chose to be a goaltender, to handle that pressure and play up to that.� The 25-year-old allowed an average of 2.44 goals last season while leading the Hurricanes to their first
playoff berth since 2006, claiming consecutive road victories in Game 7s at New Jersey and Boston and helping them reach the Eastern Conference finals. Already the club’s winningest postseason goalie with 23 playoff wins, his career record of 120-77-18 is 10 victories shy of the franchise record. The deal was announced two days before Carolina opens the regular season against Philadelphia. (water, sewer, electricity, cable tv & WiFi)
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Bobcats want to run CHARLOTTE (AP) — It’s NBA’s lowest scoring team, become a familiar scene af- Brown wants the Bobcats to ter only two days of Char- become an up-tempo, club by lotte Bobcats training camp: taking advantage of Gerald A defensive player grabs a Wallace’s driving ability, the rebound and coach Larry addition of athletic newcomers Tyson Chandler and Gerald Brown’s voice grows loud. “Go, go, go!� he yells. Henderson and an array of big A season after being the ballhandlers.
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