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4B
TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2006
STANDINGS, MORE
CURTAIN CALL
NY Yankees
Boston
Toronto
Baltimore
Tampa Bay
Detroit
Chicago Sox
Minnesota
Cleveland
Kansas City
WEST
Oakland
LA Angeis
Texas
Seattle
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Atlanta
Florida
Washington
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Houston
Milwaukee
Chicago Cubs
Pittsburgh
San Diego
LA Dodgers
Arizona
Colorado
San Francisco
PRO, COLLEGE
BRIEFS
Lands fired by eyeing team
PARIS (AP) - Floyd Landis was fired
by his team and the Tour de France
no longer considered him its champion
Saturday after his second doping sample
tested positive for higher-than-allowable
levels of testosterone.
The samples contairted synthetic
testosterone, indicating that it came
from an outside source. Landis again
denied cheating. Tour de France director
Christian Prudhomme said Landis no
longer was considered champion, but
the decision to strip him of his title rests
with the International Cycling Union.
The IOC said it would ask USA
Cycling to open disciplinary proceed
ings. Documentation from the positive
tests will be forwarded to the U.S. Anti-
Doping Agency, which will turn it over
to a review panel. USADA will ultimately
decide if a penalty - likely a two-year ban
- is appropriate.
Woods dams 50th PSA wii
Tiger Woods won his 50th PGA Tour
title Sunday, shooting his fourth-straight
6-under 66 for a three-stroke victory over
Jim Furyk in the Buick Open.
Woods reached a season-low 24
under and made a career-high 28 bird
ies in the tournament to hold off Furyk
- who closed with a 64 - for his fourth
win of the year. Woods became the sev
enth member of the PGA Tour’s 50-win
club and improved to 21 -for-21 when
leading by more than one stroke after
three rounds. The 30-year-old Woods
beat Jack Nicklaus’ record pace to the
milestone, which Nicklaus reached in
1973 at 33.
Woods, coming off his emotional vic
tory in the British Open, will get a chance
to win his 12th major in two weeks at the
Richt behind closed doors for evaluation
By MARC WEISZER
Morris News Service
Watching the four candi
dates for Georgia’s quarter
back job on the practice field
is one thing, but coach Mark
Richt is now going behind
closed doors in the Butts-
Mehre Building for further
evaluation.
Richt is sitting in on assis
tant coach Mike Bobo’s quar
terback meetings, allowing
him to gauge just how firm
a grasp of the offense fresh
man Matthew Stafford and
redshirt freshman Joe Cox
in particular have.
“I’ve decided to sit in on
every quarterback meeting,
not to take over the meet
ing but to listen to Coach
Bobo install everything and
coach everything and hear
the quarterbacks respond,”
said Richt, who coached
quarterbacks at Florida
State. “I want to know what
they know. I also want to
know what Mike expects
on every single play, every
single read, every single hot
throw. I want to know exact
ly what they’re doing and
why because there are some
subtle changes from time to
American League
EAST
W L PCT QB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO
66 42 .611 - 36-19 30-23 601 504 Won 1 8-2
65 45 .591 2 35-17 30-28 60ft 547 Lost 2 4-6
58 53 .523 9.5 36-23 22-30 581 548 Won 1 2-8
50 62 .446 18 30-31 20-31 539 824 Lost 1 4-ft
47 65 .420 21 29-26 18-39 499 605 Wbn2 5-5
CENTRAL
W L PCT QB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO
75 36 .676 - 36-17 39-19 580 436 Won 3 7-3
65 44 .596 9 34-19 31-25 622 531 Lost 1 6-4
65 45 .591 9.5 39-15 26-30 574 498 Won 4 8-4
47 63 .427 27.5 26-29 21-34 594 565 tfl*3 3-7
38 73 .342 37 23-33 15-40 506 672 Lost 4 3-7
W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO
60 51 .541 - 28-25 32-26 497 491 Won 4 8-2
57 54 .514 3 27-28 30-26 546 516 Won 2 5-5
56 56 .500 4.5 26-30 30-26 567 556 Lost 2 5-5
53 57 .482 6.5 28-29 25-28 516 514 Lost 3 5-5
National League
EAST
W L PCT QB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LIO
66 44 .600 - 32-22 34-22 593 499 Won 2 7-3
53 57 .482 13 27-31 26-26 564 577 LOW 2 7-3
51 59 .464 15 22-28 29-31 574 564 Won 1 3-7
51 60 .459 15.5 27-28 24-32 514 538 Lost 3 3-7
49 62 .441 17.5 26-24 23-38 513 574 Lost 2 4-6
CENTRAL
W L PCT QB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO
60 50 .545 - 33-23 27-27 538 531 Won 2 2-8
57 54 .514 3.5 29-29 28-25 545 568 Lost 1 4-6
53 58 .477 7.5 30-26 23-32 506 524 Lost! 5-5
52 59 .468 8.5 32-23 20-36 503 587 Lost 2 4-6
47 64 .423 13.5 25-31 22-33 465 568 Won 2 7-3
42 70 .375 19 28-28 14-42 502 568 Lost 2 6-4
WEST
W L PCT QB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO
58 53 .523 - 28-31 30-22 504 498 Won 2 4-6
56 55 .505 2 31-24 25-31 565 520 Won 9 9-1
56 55 .505 2 27-28 29-27 558 562 WOn 1 5-5
54 56 .491 3.5 28-26 26-30 504 485 Lost 1 7-3
53 58 .477 5 31-28 22-30 513 519 Won 1 2-8
PGA Championship.
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LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP)
- Sherri Steinhauer shot an even-par 72
to win the Women's British Open for the
third time, and the first since it became
a major. The 43-year-o!d American fin
ished at 7-under 281 at Royal Lytham
for her second major title. Cristie Kerr
(71) and Sophie Gustafson (72) tied for
second at 4 under. Michelle Wie shot her
third straight 74 to finish at 6-over 294.
Six imucted mto footfial nal
CANTON, Ohio (AP) _ The glory of
the newest Hall of Famers’ achievements
was punctuated by a steady stream of
tears and a singular chant:
"REG-GIE, REG-GIE."
Though a fair share of the crowd
sported No. 8 jerseys in tribute to Troy
Aikman, their passion Saturday was
reserved for the late Reggie White.
The two joined Warren Moon, John
Madden, Rayfield Wright and Harry
Carson as the newest inductees in the
Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Nearly all of them choked up or cried
during the four-hour ceremony, even
the usually unflappable Aikman. Most
poignant was the way White, also an
ordained preacher who died in December
' 2004, was honored.
His son, Jeremy, was White’s present
er, and his widow, Sara, made the accep
tance speech. Both crying, they shared a
long hug after unveiling Reggie’s bust
before a rapt audience.
Bis ink frsHuml pick
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)
Rookie safety Donte Whitner signed a
time.” So far, so good, Richt
said. Stafford and Cox are
keeping pace with senior
Joe Tereshinski and redshirt
sophomore Blake Barnes in
the meeting room.
“I think he’s just trying
to see who knows what and
I think it’s good for us all,”
Stafford said. “It makes us
stay awake, real attentive, in
the meetings. He had men
tioned that he might comes
to some quarterback meet
ings. In the end, we’re try
ing to please Coach Bobo
as much as we’re trying to
please him.” Richt said the
quarterbacks are dividing up
snaps equally in pass skel
eton drills.
R. Brown leads contend
ers for Flowers’ corner
spot: Cornerback Ramarcus
Brown helped his cause in
his bid to replace the sus
pended Thomas Flowers in
Georgia’s starting lineup by
returning an interception
for a touchdown in Sunday’s
practice, Georgia’s second of
the preseason.
Brown is working at the
starting comer opposite Paul
Oliver, Richt said. Freshmen
Asher Allen said he’s also
five-year contract with the Buffalo Bills
on Saturday.
DawMns signs extmslMi
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Five-time Pro
Bowl safety Brian Dawkins agreed to
a two-year contract extension with the
Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
IMSIK iBSt fOP $938011
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) _ Minnesota
Vikings safety Tank Williams will prob
ably miss the entire season with an injury
to his left kneecap sustained Saturday
during training camp practice.
Johnson whs Bricfcysnf
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ If Jimmie
Johnson wants to finally capture his -i
first Nextel Cup Championship, winning
at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a
step in the right direction.
Johnson pulled off a gritty win at
the Brickyard on Sunday, battling back
from an early tire problem to take the
lead, only to see it evaporate when a
late debris caution bunched up the field.
It dropped him from first to eighth and
forced him to slice his way to the front in
the final 14 laps. But he did it with ease
and pulled away for his second major
victory of the season.
Matt Kenseth, who has been sitting
in second behind Johnson the past nine
weeks, finished second and is 107 points
out of the lead. Kevin Harvick was third
and Clint Bowyer, his rookie teammate
at Richard Childress Racing, was fourth.
Mark Martin was fifth and Dale Earnhardt
Jr. stole a sixth-place finish by not pitting
on file final caution to salvage a horrible ,
day and reclaim the 10th spot in the
Chase for the championship standings.
getting first-team snaps and
freshman Prince Miller also
is competing for the job.
“I’ve got to win it to lose
it,” Brown said. “I’m not
really the starter but I’m
working with the ones. I’m
fighting for the starting
spot.a Flowers, a junior, was
suspended for two games for
violating team rules, Richt
revealed on Saturday night.
“I made a mistake,”
Flowers said. “I can’t change
the past but all I can do is
move forward and keep a
positive attitude and keep
working hard and get as
many reps as I can.” Georgia
also needs to find a punt
returner for Flowers.
Allen, Miller and Mikey
Henderson practiced field
ing punts Sunday.
Suspended Ellerbe stays
“in the mix”: Linebacker
Dannell Ellerbe missed
spring practices after run
ning into legal trouble, but
is back on the field. Ellerbe
plead guilty to reduced
charges of underage posses
sion of alcohol with driving,
reckless driving and unlaw
ful use of a license stemming
from a January incident.
SPORTS
Sunday's Sports
Transaction*
By The A—eclated
Press
■ BOSTON FED SOX_Purchased
foe contract crt C (toiky Miller from
Pawtucket of the IL. Designated
RHP Bryan Corey for assignment.
■ TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS_
Opboned RHP Edwin Jackson to
Durham of the IL Activated RHP
Dan Miceli from the 60-day DL.
If ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS.
Recalled RHP Jeff Bajaneru and
INF Alberto Callaspo from Tucson
of the PQ_ Designated LHP Randy
Choate for assignment. Optioned
RHP Dustin Nippert to Tucson.
■ATLANTA BRAVES.Qptioned RHP
Jason Shiell to Richmond of the IL.
Purchased foe contact of LHP
Wayne Franklin from Richmond.
■ NEW YORK METS.Signed 3B
David Wright to a six-year contract
cxwnsiun.
■ WASHINGTON NATIONALS.
Optioned RHP Roy CoTOoran to New
Orleans of foe PO. Recalled LHP
Billy Trailer from New Orleans.
■ BUFFALO BlLLS.Signed S Donte
, Whitner to a five-year contract.
Released P Joshua Brazen.
■ CLEVELAND BROWNS.Waived
DB Chris Thompson. Signed 0B
Ralph Brown and OL Mike Mabry.
Raced OL Todd Washington on foe
reserved-retired list
am m
Running backs providing safety
lor Buldogs, new starting QB
By MARC WEISZER
Morris News Service
ATHENS - No matter
who gets the call behind
center for Georgia on Sept.
9 at South Carolina, the
Bulldogs will have a quar
terback starting in hostile
territory at an opponent’s
stadium for the first time
in college.
The safety net for the
Bulldogs is that they can
lean heavily on a group of
running backs that rate
among the deepest in the
nation.
“This year maybe calls
for a ground game because
of our young quarterback
situation,” first-year run
ning backs coach Tony Ball
said.
“If we need to take the
pressure off the quarterback
to control the football, then
that’s what we’re going to
do.” Georgia returns a trio
of juniors - Thomas Brown,
Kregg Lumpkin and Danny
Ware - who combined to
rush for 1,563 yards last
season. Brown led the way
with 736 yards, followed by
Ware with 492 and Lumpkin
with 335.
“Do I think they’ll have a
bigger role than last season?
More than likely,” Georgia
coach Mark Richt said. “I
like the fact that they can
share the load. Whether or
not it will be divided up into
thirds remains to be seen.
I doubt that will happen,
but I think they’ll all get a
piece of the action.” Brown
created separation between
No. 2 tailback Lumpkin
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Sunday's Major League
Linescores
By The Associated Press
Chicago 102 000 000_310 0
Toronto 000 400 21x_7 8 0
Contreras, MacDougal (7), Cotts
(7) Risks (8) and Pierzynski
Burnett, Schoeneweis (7), Speier
(8) BRyan (9) and BMolina.
W.Burnett 3-5. L.Contreras 10-
4. HRJforonto, BMolina (9).
Cleveland 000 000 000.0 81
Detroit 000 010 OOxJ 6 0
Sabathia, Sikrski (8) and
ShoppachLedezma, Grilli (6),
JWalker (7), Rodney (8), TJones
(9) and VWilson. W.Ledezma
2-1. L.Sabathia 8-8. Sv_TJones
(31).
New York 102 110 001_6 12 1
Baltimore 000 100 000_1 6 1
JSWright, Proctor (7), MRivera
(8) and Fasano
RLopez, Manon (8), WAbreu (9)
and Widger. W.JSWright 8-6.
L.RLopez 8-12. Sv.Mßivera
(28). HRs.New York, Damon
(15), Jeter (9), Giambi (32),
MeCabrera (5).
Minnesota 010 220 150.11 22
0
Kansas City 013 001 000 5
12 0
Smith, Guerrier (4), DReyes
(6), JRincon (8), Eyre (9)
and Redmond
OPerez, Wellemeyer (6), Nelson
(8), Burgos (9) and Bako. W_
DReyes 4-0. L.Weliemeyer 0-2.
HRs.Minnesota, Cuddyer (16).
Kansas City, Shealy (1).
Tißxas 000 000 001 J S 2
Us Angeles 350*010 00x_9
131
Eaton, Rupe (1), Mahay (3),
during what Richt at the
time called a “dominating
spring,” building momen
tum after leading Georgia
in rushing for the second
straight season.
“He kind of said, ‘Look
at me, I’m No. 1. I deserve
to be No. 1 by my perfor
mance,”’ center Nick Jones
said.
Ball said that Brown’s
durability was a big factor
in him opening up his lead
as the No. 1 back.
“That’s been the thing
that separates him,” Ball
said. “He’s an athlete. He’s
strong.” Said Brown: “I
think the biggest improve
ment I’ve made is the con
fidence level. My confidence
level has always been there,
but it’s a lot higher than
it’s been in the past. I’ve
kind of come from the bot
tom of the pack as a fresh
man and just tried to build
myself up and get stronger
and get comfortable at my
position.”
Another freshman is now
coming from the bottom of
the pack this August.
That would be Knowshon
Moreno, who at Middletown
South High School set New
Jersey’s career records for
touchdowns with 128 and
became its second leading
rusher with 6,828 yards.
Off of high school film,
Ball compared the 5-foot
-11, 205-pound Moreno
to some former standout
tailbacks at Virginia Tech,
where Ball coached receiv
ers for eight years.
“He’s got the right body
size,” Ball said. “He reminds
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Littleton (6), Bauer (7), Otsuka (8)
and Laird Saunders, Gregg (8)
and JMolina. W.Saunders 3-0.
L.Eaton 1-2. HRs.Los Angeles,
VGuerrero (23), GAndereon
(10).
Oakland 004 020 010_7130
Seattle 200 010 120.816 2
Blanton, Calero (7), Halsey (7),
Duchscherer (7), Street (8) and
Kendall Meche, Green (6),
Putz (9) and Johjima. W.Btanton
12-9. L.Meche 9-6. Sv.Street
(25). HRs.Oakland, Thomas
(24), Swisher (23).
Atlanta 200 000 040_6 11 1
Cincinnati 103 000 000.4 6 0
Smoltz, Mcßride (7), DBaez
(8) Wickman (9) and McCann
Lohse, Standridge (6), Bray (6),
Majewski (7), Coffey (9) and
Ross, Laßue (6). W.Mcßride 3-
I.L Majewski 4-4. Sv.Wickman
(5). HRs.Atlanta, AJones (28),
Diaz (4). Cincinnati, Griffey Jr.
(23).
Milwaukee 000 000 010.15 0
St. Louie 010 003 03x_7 12 0
Capuano, Wise (7), Tumbow (8)
and Rivera
Suppan, JoSosa (8) and YMoUna.
W.Suppan 9-6. L.Capuano
10-8. SvJoSosa (4). HRa.
Milwaukee, Rivera (3). St. Louis,
Rolen (15), JEncarnacion (16).
Pittsburgh 000 000100.1 8 0
Chicago 001 310 01x.6 9 0
Snell, Grabow (7), Marte (8)
and Paulino
RHill, Howry (8), Dempster
(9) and Barrett. W.RHitl 2-4.
L.Snell 9-8. HRs.Pittsburgh,
Paulino (6). Chicago, Cederto
(4).
me of Lee Suggs and Kevin
Jones.”
Don’t discount the pos
sibility of Moreno playing
even with Georgia’s seem
ingly stacked tailback trio.
“As long as I’ve been
doing this, almost every
year I’ve played a fresh
man except for last year,”
said Ball, a college assistant
since 1988.
“It’s up to him.” Lumpkin
will try to build on a
strong end of 2005 season.
He rushed for 74 yards
against Georgia Tech and
67 against West Virginia in
the Sugar Bowl, flashing
the form that he showed in
2003 before tearing an ACL
on the first practice before
the ’O4 season.
“I think he’s fully recov
ered from that,” Ball said.
“This spring, he was prob
ably more out of shape than
apprehensive. Mentally, is
he back? Yeah.”
Brown boldly states that
Georgia has the “best run
ning back corps in the
nation by far,” but that’s
not a consensus opinion.
Lindy’s ranks Georgia with
the third best running
backs in the SEC behind
Arkansas and Auburn.
“Most running backs as
far as the media goes are
measured by how many
yards they run by,” Brown
said.
“If you don’t have 1,000
yards or more, they don’t
look at you as the upper
echelon of running backs
in the nation. It’s a difficult
situation with us having
three tailbacks rotating.”