Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 October 2004 — Page 38

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Business • Classifieds Sports < Pacers head inlo draining camp, preseason wilh one goal

Desmond Tardy

Mr. Football wears red shirt at Purdue

By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer When the Purdue Boilermaker football team ended a 30year drought by beating Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium 41-16 on Saturday, Desmond Tardy was on the sideline. He wasn’t on the sideline sulking. In fact, he was standing on a bleacher cheering, giving his teammates high fives, and after the victory he threw his helmet up in the sky too. Head coach Joe Tiller decided to redshirt Tardy for the season, which will allow' him to learn the offense, learn to balance football and studying, and add on some much needed weight since the former Warren Central quarterback will be switching to wide receiver. “I don’t mind redshirting because it helps me get my priorities together,” he said. “I’m learning the routes and it allows me the time to gain some experience for the transition from quarterback to receiver.” As a senior at Warren, Tardy completed 45 of 91 passes for 893 yards and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions. More impressively, he rushed for 1,366yards on 143 carries and 21 touchdowns. At Purdue hell be in a different stat category. Tardy is the ideal height for a wide receiver at 6 feet 1 inch but it’ll be to his benefit if he adds on a little weight to his 180 pounds frame. Tiller says he’s already gained seven. “I’m working hard,” said Tardy smiling at his weight gain. “I’m running drills and lifting (weights). I just have to make sure that as I add on muscle that I stay quick.”

► See TARDY, Page D7

VICTORY OVER JUS GIVES INDY LEG UP ON DIVISION (oil's end season's first' quarter in championship mode

By BARATO BRITT Recorder Correspondent In the National Football League, the first four games of the regular season can define a team’s prospects for post season play, or determine whether 1 a team is in fact championship caliber. It is during the first quarter that playoff-bound teams gain that initial level of confidence that fuels theirbeliefthis is their season. By no means does first quarter success guarantee the big prize, rather it restores a team’s faith in the system under which they trained vigorously in the preseason. Ifthe Indianapolis Colts first quarter performance is any indication, the team appears not only confident in their top ranked offense’s ability to score, but also in their much maligned, but underrated defense’s ability to make plays when they matter the most. ► See COLTS, Page D6

Indianapolis Colts defenders Anthony Floyd (right) and Nick Harper (center) break up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith in Sunday's game. The Colts won, 24-17. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

Bulldogs bil , e TSU for Classic victory

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South Carolina State quarterback Brett Young.

Tennessee State’s Avern Alexander fails to tackle South Carolina State's Cotim Martin. (Photos/W. Thomas)

By BARATO BRITT Recorder Correspondent It has been more than two decades, but the celebration that is the Coca-Cola Circle City Classic remains a weekend like no other for African Americans in Indianapolis. The beauty of the AfricanAmerican aesthetic is on display for all who converge onto downtown Indy during this special weekend. From the showcasing of Black college student achievement, to

the exhibition of phat rides and tight gear, the Classic embodies contemporary social life for Black folks, young and old. Oh. and there is a game in between also. On the field of play, it was the Tigers that were chewed up and spit out, as the South Carolina State University Bulldogs overwhelmed Tennessee State University for a 30-13 victory in the 21'' annual classic. In a game they controlled throughout, the Bulldogs uncharacteristically rushed for a com-

bined 280 yards, while containing TSU to just five first downs for the entire game. The win keeps the 3-1 Bulldogs undefeated in Circle City Classic play, and brings them one win away from tying the series against Tennessee State. SCSU’s convincing victory also breaks the head-to-head tie among the school’s coaches, with SCSU coach Oliver “Buddy” Hough now a leg up on fourth year TSU head coach James Reese. ► See CLASSIC, Page D7

ANALYSIS After wild season, baseball ready for playoffs By JOSHUA COHEN Staff Writer After another wild season where records were broken (Ichiro Suzuki broke the single season hits record), milestones were reached (Barry Bonds hit his 700"'home run)and history was made (Randy Johnson became the oldest pitcher at 40 to throw a perfect game), the regular season madness has settled and the postseason is ready to begin. The St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Anaheim Angels and Boston Red Sox are the eight teams hoping to achieve World Series glory. Out of all those teams, which ones will make it to the big stage and which ones wall buckle under the pressure? No teams have more pressureon them than St. Louis and New York. The Yankees have the pressure of being run by the most demanding owner in all ► See PLAYOFFS, Page D6

D SECTION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2004

GAME POINTS

By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer You’ve seen the signs all over the city. This season, the I ndiana Pacers have one goal. After losing to the Detroit Pistons in six games during the Conference Finals, they are poised to make a longer, durable run at the title. “Last year was the first time some of the guys advanced in the playoffs. Now they know that each level gets tougher,” said Larry Bird, Pacer president of basketball operations. “Theyjust have to dedicate their season to one another and 'when they get in those kinds of situations they’ll be ready to go.” One of the most talked about situations surrounding the Pacers this season is the future of Reggie Miller. He dropped a few hints at a press conference during media day that this season may be his last. “If I was a Pacer fan here in Indiana, I would definitely tell ► See PACERS, Page D6

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A rivalry Show me like no other the money

By JOSHUA COHEN Staff Writer Sports can bring out the worst in people. Any time competition is involved there’s the potential for things to get nasty, but ifyou add in city pride, years and years of loyalty and a whole lot of money, nasty is the understatement of the century. Nothing personifies this more than the feud between fans of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. These two teams have battled each other for more years than most people have even been alive. The connection between them is almost cosmic. The Red Sox started out in the beginning of the century as one of baseball’s most successful franchises, but after they traded the best player in baseball, the “Great Bambino” Babe Ruth, to the Yankees in 1918, they never won a World Series after. Red Sox fans call it the “Curse of the Bambino” and associate much of the Yankees success with their failure. The absolute hatred that develops from this rivalry is sometimes scary. Because they have lost so many times in the past century (since 1918 they trail the Yankees in World Series wins 260), Boston fans seem to carry the most animosity. By all accounts, Fenway Park in Boston is a much more hostile place for a Yankee fan than Yankee Stadium is for a Red Sox fan. However, each ballpark makes sure to provide extra security during the games these teams play each other. This rivalry is so large it doesn’t stop in just the cities, of even the regions. It spills over into the entire country. How many rivalries doyou knowthat have spawned as many books, television specials and documentaries? And of course, the intensity is so great the players can’t help but feel it every time they compete against each other. In the past two years, there have been two bench-clearing brawls between these teams. This season Alex Rodriguez, who hadn’t even been a Yankee for a full season, got into a fight with Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. Was this because he hates the Red Sox? Not at all. It’s the energy the crowd gives that pushes these players to go all out against each other. There is no rivalry in all of sports that can match this one. None with the intensity, none with the history and none with the absolute hatred these fans have for each other. It might be scary, and even a little sad, but it makes for some great games.

By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer There is nothing like messing with someone’s livelihood. There are a lot of feuds going on in sports right now; Shaq vs. Kobe, Keyshawn Johnson vs. Jon Gruden, the Boston Red Sox vs. theNew York Yankees andTerrell Owens vs. Jeff Garcia. All of the feuds are mildly interesting and give the media something to write and talk about, but none holds a significance like the feud going on between the owners and players of the National Hockey League. The league locked out its players Sept. 16 threatening to cancel the 2004-05 season and perhaps beyond in an effort by management to gain huge economic change. The problem is this: money and the lit,tie there is to dish out. Management wants a salary cap and the players are dead set against it. Although a salary cap has helped the NBA and the NFL thrive to great economic measures, the players don’t care. The players, who on average make $1.8 million, say they aren’t being paid enough. And the league recently took a major cut in its television contract and spends 70-75 percent of its revenue on player salaries says it doesn’t have any more to give. So what gives? Hockey is basically financed by the fans and even they say they have no more money to give. While the hockey players want a deal similar to what baseball players had to fight for, in which teams that spend beyond a certain amount have to pay luxury taxes that are distributed to other teams. They also want the owners to share more of their revenue. The bottom line is the owners want a salary cap but the players don’t, which will lead to neither side getting a paycheck for a while. When the money involved feeds your family and helps you maintain the lifestyle that you’re accustomed to, you’ll fight for it. Although it may seem greedy of the players for wanting more money, it can also be seen as greedy that the owners aren’t willing to dish out more when it’s obvious that the person signing the checks makes more. There is no feud bigger than when both sides aren’t willing to budge and want the same thing. Shaq, Kobe, Johnson, Gruden, Owens, Garcia, the Red Sox or the Yankees aren’t complaining about money. They are being preschool age children arguing over unnecessary things. The NHL is arguing over money and money is the root of all evil.

Have you been enjoying Game Points? Let The Recorder know who you think has had the best predictions and opinions: Ericka Thompson or Joshua Cohen? You can either send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 924-5143 ext. 324.

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