Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 October 2005 — Page 31

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D SECTION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2005

Roar, Lions roar By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff writer

“Hopefully we made alittle bit of a statement.” Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson I was like the rest of the folks who’d written off the Penn State Nittany Lions and coach Joe Paterno. After enduring four horrible losing seasons I had my mouth on a bullhorn shouting that Paterno needed to say goodbye to his beloved football team before he ruined his legacy. But Paterno was steadfast though he was over 70 years old and knocking on 80, his football IQ and recruiting skills still remained. So far, he’s proved a lot of haters wrong. The Lions are off to their first 5-0 start since 1999 and are ranked No. 16 in the nation. Before Saturday’s 44-14 dismantling of the Minnesota Gophers, questions still lingered if the Lions were j ust lucky beating South Florida, Cincinnati, Central Michigan and Northwestern. As the team hugged each other while trotting off the field after defeating the Gophers I’d have to say this team might be the real deal, at least in the Big Ten. It was supposed to be the high-powered teams Michigan, Purdue and Iowa reminding the rest of the nation how potent Big Ten football was. Instead Michigan lost their mojo after losing to Notre Dame and losing running back Michael Hart who returned Saturday against Michigan State and ran for 218 yards and a touchdown proving how important he is to the Wolverines. The Boilermakers should still be hanging their heads after getting embarrassed AT HOME to Notre Dame 49-28. There is a rift in the Purdue locker room and that won’t help team chemistry on the field. When Iowa lost to Iowa State 23-3 they also lost their firepower and when they got handled by Ohio State 31-6 the fire completely fizzled. So that leaves the Lions who look rejuvenated and ready to prove to everyone that they can still compete. The test though comes in the form of Big Ten rival Ohio State who is ranked No. 6 in the nation on Saturday. Do I think the Lions are a BCS team? No. Do Ithink they can contend with a BCS team? No doubt. Which means if things stay in tact, next season they’ll be flying above the radar . So yes, Mr. Robinson I’d say you did make a small statement.

TRAINING CAMP PACERS ARE BACK

By ERICKA P. THOMPSON Staff Writer

For the Indiana Pacers there are no more excuses. There is no more Reggie Miller. There are no more suspensions. There are no egos. They’re united to win an NBA championship and according to the Pacers, no one can stop them but them. Ask around the league and you’ll find that regardless of how impressive the Miami Heat look on paper or how much the Detroit Pistons are out to prove, the Indiana Pacers are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. And according to Pacer forward and christened leader Jermaine O’Neal the team that will take court Nov. 2 against the Orlando Magic may be a better squad than the 2000 team that went to the NBA Finals. Only time will tell. It’s a new day O’Neal has one favor for the media and fans. “Give Ron (Artest) a chance to prove himself,” he says. “Then when he proves you right or wrong, you can talk about it.” All eyes will be on Artest this season to see if he is indeed the changed a man he claims to be. The Nov. 12 brawl that was sparked when Artest went into the stands to fight a Detroit Piston fan and the 128 game suspensions between Artest, O’Neal, Stephen Jackson and Anthony Johnson is old news, at least to the Pacers. “My memory is so short term I barely remember what happened last year,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “It’s a moving forward situation.” Artest, who has bulked up to 270 lbs., says he just wants to play basketball. He’s worked out all summer - in the weight room and on the basketball court - to prepare for a game he hasn’t played in nearly a year. “This year is about winning,” he said during Pacers media day. “I’m more focused on the team and winning. I just want to be a part of the team and do what it takes to win.” Indiana has welcomed Artest back with open arms. Last year is over says O’Neal and they need Artest’s defense, aggressiveness and scoring to get over the hump. “Being suspended 72 games was a lot for (Ron), but at the same time I think it was positive for him because it gave him a chance to evaluate everything,” he said. “We’ve accepted him back and he’s accepted us back. I think he’s ready to go.” Dig deep The Pacers are arguably the deepest team in the East, possibly in the entire league. They have scoring power, tenacious defensive ability and a bench that proved last year that

they can hang with just about every team in the NBA. “This is the best team that this city has seen in a long time,” O’Neal said. “Though we’ve talked about (winning a championship) the last two

years I think we have a legitimate chance to win. This team reminds me of the team that won 61 games because we were extremely deep at every ► See PACERS, D8

Colts superstars making way to Canton

By BARATO BRITT Recorder Correspondent Attention Colts fans. In case you hadn’t noticed, with each passing week, you have the privilege of watching at least two sure-fire Hall of Famers do their work with deadly precision. Time can only tell ifthatlist will grow to include others on this year’s roster, but for now, be assured at the very least that Marvin Harrison’s and Peyton Manning’s busts will soon join those that currently reside in Canton, Ohio. While their team remained among the ranks of the unbeaten, with their 31-10 week 4 handling of the Tennessee Titans, the duo took yet another step toward immortality. Harrison, the perennial all-pro receiver became only the third player in league history to amass 100 touchdown receptions. The receiver’s 101st touchdown was also his 85th from Manning, tyingthe two for the most touchdowns between a quarterback and receiver, a feat they now share with Steve Young and Jerry Rice. By now, setting league re-

cords has almostbecome commonplace for these seasoned vets. But the competitors that they are remain focused on that piece of hardware that has as of yet eluded them. “We know we have a great offense and a great team, but we always have room for improvement,” said Harrison. One of only three teams to reach the 4-0 mark, the Colts have a firm hold on the AFC South division lead. The Colts have already beaten the two teams most likely to compete for the division title, with Houston still waiting to get into win column. The team’s schedule through the bye should not necessarily instill fear in this team, as their next three opponents combined record is a paltry 3-8. Should the team continue to play a complete game on both sides of the ball, an undefeated record going into their bye is well within their collective grasp. Still, four games do not a season make. For this group, no team is overlooked, and this week’s goal is clear: to return from San Francisco this week free from a seasonaltering setback.

Peyton Manning (left) and Marvin Harrison tied Steve Young and Jerry Rice for the NFL record for most touchdowns between a quarterback and receiver duo.

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