Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 September 2000 — Page 20

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1,2000 ■ PAGE B6

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Final scores were only a small part of the PeyBack Classic, which allowed IPS athletes to play in the RCA Dome in front of friends and family, photo / Walt Thomas

Manning’s PeyBack lands IPS in RCA Dome

By JAMES M. KEOUGH JR.

Sports Writer

In recent years, gamering support for Indianapolis Public Schools athletics could be compared to finding a needle in a haystack. However, last weekend in the RCA Dome IPS high school football was the main attraction as the inaugural PeyBack Classic kicked before an underestimated enthusiastic crowd. What did playing in the dome mean to the participants? According to IPS Director of Athletics Curt Ervin, the overall value is immeasurable. "I don’t even think the organizers know what being in the dome will mean to these kids,” said Ervin, in his third year leading IPS athletics. ‘The chances of most of these kids playing in a dome, other than a possible trip to the state championship is very slim.” This event, sponsored by EDS, Marsh Supermarkets and St. Vincent Children’s Specialty Hospital, is supported by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning’s PeyBack Foundation. The event features the five IPS high schools and Pike High School playing regular season football games in the RCA Dome for the first time ever. Proceeds from the event will be split equally among IPS high schools to help offset the costs of athletic programs. Why was staging this type of event important to Manning, one of the young stars of the NFL? Because it hits him close to home."This is an honor for me to help these kids reach for their dreams,” said Manning. “From my own experience, to play in front of a huge crowd in an NFL stadium as a high school student-athlete is no ordinary

opportunity.” While a youngster growing up in New Orleans, Manning had an opportunity to play in the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints. He shared this experience with Ervin. “His freshman year in high school, a group made it possible for him to play in a dome. He shared with me what it meant to him,” said Ervin. “What you see is what you get with Peyton. He has been walking around interacting with players on all of the teams all day long. He has been very

involved.

“He is a super nice young man.” As for the results, Pike blasted Tech 43-14. Arlington embarrassed Manual 54-6 and Broad Ripple outlasted Northwest 41-33. However, the final scores are only a small part of the story. Though a reasonably small turnout, the reaction was enthusiastic and very supportive. One student from Tech said she couldn’t believe all of the city schools would ever have a chance to participate in an event like

this.

"Peyton was looking for something positive to do. This is what they decided in association with the PeyBack Foundation,” added Ervin. “It’s been well known that we wanted to get into the dome. But we didn’t have a vehicle to do it,” added Ervin. “We’ve always been dropping hints trying to get into the dome.” It took the Indiana Sports Corp., Indiana Black Expo and the PeyBack Foundation to make this monumental event a reality. Manning created the PeyBack Foundation in December 1999 to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting programs in Indiana, Louisiana and Tennessee that provide the necessary leadership and growth opportunities for youth who are at risk.

Thomas gives Rose a chance to bloom as point guard

"T" ndiana Pacers coach Isiah Thio - I mas confirmed what many thought -A inevitable. Jalen Rose will be the team’s starting point guard in the wake of Mark Jackson’s signing with the Toronto Raptors. “Without (Mark Jackson), Jalen’s going into training camp as our starting < point guard,” Thomas said. But moving Rose to starting point guard is not without risk because it creates uncertainty at two positions — his new one and his old one. As a small forward last season, Rose led the team in scoring (18.2), displacing Reggie Miller, and earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. But Rose hasn’t played point guard regularly since his first two seasons in the league (1994-96) with the Denver Nuggets. Though the Nuggets ultimately lost faith in Rose and traded him to the Pacers for Jackson, statistics contradict their logic. In two seasons in Denver, the Nuggets were 32-30 with Rose in the lineup, 34-58 without. He led the team in assists both seasons despite playing a part-time role. Rose will start at the point, but he won’t necessarily stay there through the course of a game, Thomas said. “When you look at our backcourt, we have a pretty solid threeguard rotation (Rose, Miller and Travis Best), which gives us the ability to move Jalen to (shooting guard) and (small forward),” Thomas said. “You want to take advantage of his versatility and make it difficult for the opponent to find him by moving him around on the

floor.”

Thomas’ predecessor, Larry Bird, started Rose from time to time as point guard, but never made the position permanent.

Colts DB on trial

for domestic battery

'T' ndianapolis Colts defensive back Mustafah Muhammad, cleared JL earlier this year of any responsibility in the death of his wife, faces trial on

charges that he beat her.

Nichole Muhammad, who was five months pregnant, went into premature labor three days after she was injured in a car accident. She died from excessive

Muhammad bleeding, not from injuries she might have

received from her husband, a coroner ruled

at the time. > ’ However, Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman, who will try the case in a bench trial before Judge Evan Goodman, decided to pursue the misdemeanor battery charges anyway. Muhammad — formerly known as Steve Muhammad — faces one count each of domestic battery and battery on his late wife and one count of battery on her 6-year-old son — all misdemeanor charges. He could be sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined

$5,000.

Nichole Muhammad died last Nov. 7 about seven hours after the couple’s child was stillborn. Ten days earlier, she reported her husband twisted her right wri$t behind her back, pushed her against a wall and threw her to the floor during an argument at their apartment. She said Muhammad alsp , struck her son — his stepson — after the boy tried to defend his-; mother with a plastic baseball bat. Newman said a recorded 911 call made by Mrs. Muhammad will provide strong enough evidence to convict the football player. But bruises on the woman were “no bigger than a dime and not significant,” Indiana University forensic scientist Dr. John Pless said several weeks after her death. Mrs. Muhammad, 30, was not wearing her seatbelt, and an airbag in the vehicle did not deploy. She did not report the accident when it happened, officials said. Muhammad, 26, signed with the Colts in February 1999 as a free agent after a season with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League. He was the CFL defensive player of the year and led the league with 10 interceptions. He played in 11 games last season, with one start against New England, and totaled six tackles on defense and eight on special

teams.

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Wounded Warriors battle towards playoffs By JAMES M. KEOUGH JR.

Sports Writer

This weekend signals the beginning of the Sunday wars known as the National Football League

regular season.

This means weekly episodes of semi-controlled violence. Broken bones, pulled and tom muscles and sprains will be worn with pride by these gladiators like badges of

honor.

However, for the Indianapolis Warriors minor league football team, war was declared several weeks ago and the battle scars are evident. Honor, pride and commitment are evident, now a championship is the order of the day. The Warriors are sporting a record of 3-2 heading into a bye week and will look to finish strong in the team’s final three battles heading into the playoffs. Is life in the Mid States Football League for the meek and fragile? If the recent condition of the Warriors is any indication, each week is a war and it's all about winning. In fact, it’s all about represent-

ing.

The Warriors have suffered through an onslaught of recent injuries. In the team’s recent win over the M ichiana Sai nts. the team won the war but may have lost the physical battle. Cornerback James Dowdy is

The Indianapolis Warriors began this season with a team photo and optimism. They have since been decimated by injuries as they head into the Mid States Football League playoffs, photo / Ken Skelton

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