Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 September 2000 — Page 20

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,2000 ■ PAGE B6

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The Indiana Pacera acquired Jermaine O'Neal (right), from the Portland Trail Blazera along with Joe Kleine in a trade for Dale Davis (above). O’Neal, 6-foot-11, who four years ago at age 17 became the youngest player ever to appear in an NBA game, isn’t as strong as the muscular Davis but likely will be used at power forward and could play at center if Rlk Smits decides to retire and not return to the team. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Pacers have blend of veterans and youngsters

By STEVE HERMAN AP Sports Writer

The Indiana Pacers suddenly got younger. By acquiring Jermaine O’Neal from Portland on last Thursday, the Pacers, who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. became a team with a unique mix of youth and experience. The Pacers have three players who never went to college, a handful of twentysomethings and a seemingly bright future. O'Neal, who entered the league straight out of high school four years ago. is among the kiddie corps the Pacers are counting on. "We're all about the same age, so we can get old together, and win a lot of ball games together." O'Neal said Friday, a day after he was acquired in a trade with Portland for veteran Dale Davis. Jonathan Bender came to the Pacers last year right out of high school, and Al Harrington was drafted out of high school twoyears ago. Austin Croshere and Jeff Foster are still very early in their NBA careers. Also, in June, the Pacers drafted 7-foot-1 Primoz Brezec. a 20-year-old Slovenian who has two years left on a European contract. "It's probably the most unique situation I think any coach has ever had to come into, because we have a team in transition," coach Isiah Thomas said. "But in transition. we had great success last year. We have veterans _ when you look at Rik Smits. Reggie Miller. Sam Perkins. Derrick McKey. who have great wisdom on this team. "But you also have a mid-level of Travis Best and Jalen Rose, who are really good, and then you drop down and look at Croshere. Bender. Foster. O'Neal and Harrington.... When you look at the nucleus of what this team is going to be twoor three years from now. I don't think it gets any better than that from a team perspective." O'Neal, a first-round draft pick by the Trail Blazers in 19%. made his NBA debut at age 17. But he never blossomed as expected, and even though he signed a four-year $24 million contract last year, he was unhappy in Portland and demanded to be traded.

O’Neal

“I struggled a lot mentally, probably more last year than I did in any other year, and I knew it wasn ’ t supposed to be going that way.” he said. “It should have been getting better for me. So I just wanted to go to a situation where I was going to be used and also win at the same time.” The 6-foot-11, 242-pound O'Neal averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds last season. "My best comment, foryou guys and for (Portland coach) Mike Dunleavy, is just watch me play this year, from getting the chance to play." O'Neal said. The Pacers plan on using O'Neal at power forward, but he also couId play at small forward or even at center if Smits, who still hasn't decided whether to retire, does not return. "Competition is a good thing, and the players determine how long they're going to play and who's going to beat each other out." said Thomas. "I believe Jermaine is talented enoiyjh, good enough, to be a starter in this league, but we' 11 have to wait and see when training camp comes if that proves to be the

Colts on the cusp of superstardom with fans, retailers

case.

Associated Press Fans in horseshoe hats wearing blue and white face paint aren't the only ones hoping the Indianapolis Colts can gallop to another winning season. Also clutching the remote with sweaty palms are the merchandisers. who need another wi nni ng streak to sell the extra millions of dollars worth of T-shirts, hats, blankets, lamps, and golf club covers they've already made. Then there are the techies who have established Colts

Internet sites, banking on a winning team to keep Web traffic heavy. There's good news for all concerned. League analysts say the Colts are on the cusp of joining the elite _ teams like the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. Teams, in other words, whose jerseys can be spotted in any mall in North America. Aside from the Colts' recent performance surge, which included a trip to the playoffs last year and a victory over Kansas City in the opening game of this season, what' spush-

ing that new status is the Colts' triumvirate of offensive weapons. Quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Edgerrin James and receiver Marvin Harrison (The Triplets, as they've become known) are the three names emblazoned on the backs of most of those jersey-wear-ing mall-goers. Manning's jersey is the fourth hottest-selling one in the league, McCarthy said. The Colts’ quarterback is in pretty good company. behind only Brett Favre, Troy

Aikman and Randy Moss. ;• The NFL doesn't talk about how much money it makes selling learnrelated items. But McCarthy saidColts merchandise salesclimbed intj> the league’s top 10 last season.-up from 17th the year before. Sales of Colts items jumped 211 percent _ good news for the horrie-| town fans who work at Indianapolis-! based LogoAthletic But continued success for the merchandising depends on continued success on the field.

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Indiana Football Coaches Association Poll

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1. Adams Central 2. Attica 3. West Central 4. South wood 5. Hagerstown 6. North White 7. Perry Central 8. Southern Wells €) Cjn rroiai r occgcr 10. Park Tudor

-1. Bishop Luers 2. Danville 3. Evansville Mater Dei 4. Jimtown 5. Speedway 6. Central Noble 7. Heritage 8. Western Boone 9. Winamac 10. Brownstown Central

1. Norwell 2. Heritage Hills 3. Whiteiand 4. Ehvood 5. Roncalli 6. Rochester 7. Northwood 8. Hamilton Heights 9. ZionsviBe 10. Angola

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1. Cathedral 2. Goshen 3. Seymour 4. Evansville North 5. Griffith 6. McCutcheon 7. Lowell 8. Hammond 9. East Noble 10 . Owen Valley

1. Ben Davis

2. Bloomington South 3 ; Castle 4. Chesterton 5. Penn 6. Eon Wayne Snider 7. North Central 8. Center Grove 9. Decatur Central 10. LaPorte

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