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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Biffle falls further behind top 10 after crash WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - Greg Biffle’s day started bad when the truck driving Kim around the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International taad course Sunday had his hame misspelled. The letter on the side of the truck read, “Biffl.” His day got even worse once the AMD at the Glen Started. Not only was he in a back up car after crashing during Friday’s qualifying, he was involved in a Lap 43 crash that crippled his chances to qualify for the Chase for the Championship. Kyle Petty rear-ended Biffle midway around the 11-turn road course, send ing Biffle to the garage for repairs to his radiator. His finish dropped Morris News Service Georgia Tech’s Mansfield Wrotto works out with the squad during practice recently. Wrotto, who moved from defensive to offensive tackle says he’s now comfortable with the position. Wrotto finally secure on GT OL By Adam Van Brimmer Morris News Service ATLANTA - Georgia Tech’s Mansfield Wrotto saw teammate Joe Anoai go ddwn with an apparent inju ry last week. For Wrotto, the sight of Anoai, a defensive tackle, on the ground could have pro duced more than the normal amount of anxiety one team mate feels for another when injured. Thoughts of “Here we go again ...” would have been natural for Wrotto, who moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle for the second time in two years - he switched to offense last spring only to return to defense because of an injury - ih the spring. Yet Wrotto said Anoai’s injury, which turned out to be nothing more than heat sickness, never made him anxious about another posi tion move. ‘ I’m an offensive lineman noiv,” Wrotto said. “I think like one. I’m comfortable with it.” He should be. His coach es call him a natural at right tackle, and the tackle opposite him, All-Atlantic Coast Conference perform er Andrew Gardner, said Wrbtto plays like a long-time starter on offense. Wrotto is among the most experienced Yellow Jacket players already. He started 32 games the previous three yedrs, albeit all at defensive tackle. He was supposed to have a year’s experience on offense coming into this season. A lack of depth on the offen sive line prompted a move to bffensive guard prior to 20(15 spring practice. He showed promise there until his replacement at defensive tackle, Darryl Richard, tore a knee ligament late in spring drills. The injury sidelined Rickard for all of last season, and Wrotto moved back to his old spot. him to 13th in the Nextel Cup Series standings, 180 points short of the final qualifying spot for the series championship. The final 10-driver lineup for the Chase will be set after four more races. If Biffle is going to make the cut, he not only needs to make up 180 points, he needs to pass three other drivers. “I don’t have any (thoughts) on the Chase right now,” Biffle said. “We just run every race that we can. We’ve got four more races before the Chase and we’ll just see what hap pens.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. remained 10th in the rank ings, but his position as the final qualifier is tenuous. He is just 54 points ahead of Wrotto flip-flopped again this spring. Richard returned, and reserves Vance Walker and Elris Anyaibe played plenty off the bench last year. Wrotto is confident that depth makes his move to offense permanent this time. And if the defense should want Wrotto back, the coach es might have to fight Joe D’Alessandris, the offensive line coach, for him. “Everything he has done so far, he’s been a great fit for us,” D’Alessandris said. “He’s a wonderful person, a student of the game, a hard worker, very coachable. He wants to be successful and strives to be successful. When you get a package like that, you have a heckuva offensive lineman.” Wrotto insists he still has much to learn. The tech nique of playing offensive tackle is vastly different of that employed by defensive tackles, particularly when it comes to hands and feet. Offensive tackles must be light and fleet on their feet to pass block against quicker defensive ends and lineback ers. And perfecting how to use one’s hands without drawing a holding penalty is tricky. Wrotto is a quick study, though. Head coach Chan Gailey’s only concern about his new right tackle is how quickly he will adjust to the speed of the game. “When the defense chang es a formation or shows something different right before the snap, he has to be able to adjust,” Gailey said. Urgent news for people who took SEROQUEL Seroquel . an antipsychotic tint# also known as Quctiapine, has been linked to diabetes, pancreatitis, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and even death, if you or a loved one have experienced any of these health problems, call us now toll free at 1-800-THE-EAGUB for a free consultation. We, practice law only in Arizona, but associate with lawyers throughout the I ! .S. GOLDBERG & OSBORNE l-SOO-THE-EAGLE (1 -«00-*43-324S) www.iaoottiecagle.com iHtmi Ofteft* o PTiwna and Tycoon llth-place Kasey Kahne. Kurt Busch (172 points behind), Biffle (180) and Carl Edwards (191) all need a mir acle in the next four races to make return appear ances in the Chase. Jimmie Johnson NOTEBOOK Don Coble Morris News Service continues to lead the standings. He is 124 points ahead of Matt Kenseth. AMD at the Glen winner Kevin Harvick improved to third in the standings, followed by Jeff Burton in fourth, Kyle Busch in fifth, Martin in sixth, Tony Falcons’ third-string QB race remains in a dead heat By Adam Van Brimmer Morris News Service ATLANTA - By most measures, D.J. Shockley defeated Bryan Randall in the first public showdown between the Falcons’ third string quarterback hope fuls. * Shockley led the game winning drive in Atlanta’s 26-23 victory over New England. * Shockley owned the crowd, which roared its approval Bulldog-style by barking as the former Georgia star entered the game and after every big play. * Shockley’s media horde even squeezed Randall out of the locker the two shared at the Georgia Dome follow ing the game. Yet Shockley failed to edge Randall in one important area: Impressing the head coach. “People will be very excit ed with what D.J. did and rightfully so, but I can’t say right now standing here that one of them has dis tinguished himself over the Gartrell injures knee, out for season Coach Mark Richt has been looking for somebody, anybody to make a move and join Mohamed Massaquoi as a wide receiver that can be counted on this year to make plays for Georgia. Junior T.J. Gartrell had begun to show flashes in that direction in the first week of preseason practice, but now Gartrell’s season is over before it started because of a knee injury. “He was having a heck of a camp,” Richt said. “Unfortunately, he’s not going to be able to play this year.” Gartrell, from Lithonia, will undergo sur gery in the next few days after tearing a patella ten don in Friday’s practice. Gartrell had three catches for 76 yards last season and started against Louisana- Monroe. Banks reminding folks of a recent Bulldog safe ty: After the first week of practices, the new free safe ty wearing No. 31 is remind ing a lot of folks around here of a just departed free safety. “Look at Blue,” defen sive coordinator Willie Martinez shouted after freshman Quintin Banks snagged a pass from Martinez in a drill this SPORTS Stewart in seventh, Denny Hamlin in eighth and Jeff Gordon in ninth. SADLER OUT AT YATES: As expected, Elliott Sadler drove his final race for Robert Yates Racing Sunday. He will announce today that he will finish the sea son in the No. 19 Dodge at Evernham Motorsports. Part of the deal includes the promotion of part-time Busch Series driver David Gilliland to Sadler’s seat in the No. 38 Ford. Although he spun early in the race, Sadler gave Yates a rare top-10 finish in Sunday’s race. He finished eighth for only his fifth top -10 finish of the year. Sadler’s accelerated depar ture - he was supposed to other,” Jim Mora said. “The competition is still heated.” Both quarterbacks burned the Patriots’ defense Friday. Randall led Atlanta to 10 points in three series, com pleting 5 of 9 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Shockley engineered the game-winning drive, march ing the Falcons 56 yards in the game’s final 2 minutes, 40 seconds and into position for a Michael Koenen 40- yard field goal. Shockley completed 4 of 8 passes - including two clock-killing spikes for incompletions - on the final drive. Two of his comple tions came on third down and-long situations to pro long the drive. Shockley’s cool under pressure impressed Mora the most. “It always come back to the quarterback handling the two-minute drive, and D.J. did a nice job,” Mora said. “He made good deci sons. He got the ball out quick. He knew when to throw it away. He didn’t take sacks. He came to the sideline and looked me in week. “Come on Blue,” Martinez told him the next time though the defensive backs line. Blue is now turning heads with his punishing NOTEBOOK By MARC WEISZER Morris News Service had a real nice lick,” Richt said after Friday’s practice. “It looked a little bit like a Greg Blue-type of a hit, kind of like a torpedo with intentions of a direct hit.” The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Banks played at Houston County, where he watched from afar as Georgia devel oped big-hitting safeties. “A lot of the reason I came here is that they play big safeties that like to hit,” Banks said. “ I think DONATE TO GOODWILL. > ♦ 2209 Moody Road M ♦ 115 Margie Drive M ♦ 1355 Sam Nunn Blvd M ♦ Galleria Malt - 2922 Watson Blvd www.goodwillworks.org Building lives, families , and comm time? leave Yates at the end of the season - was prompt ed by the termination last week of Jeremy Mayfield at Evernham. Sadler already had agreed to drive for Evernham next year, but everyone involved felt it was best to get a run ning start on the 2007 sea son. While Sadler and Gilliland are in place, Mayfield must wait for Bill Davis Racing to expand to two cars next year - Toyota Camrys. There are several scenarios where Mayfield may serve as a fill in driver, including at Yates. Gilliland must get clearance from NASCAR to race at Talladega, Ala., on Oct. 8. PIT STOPS: In addi tion to Robert Yates Racing, Robby Gordon is talking the eye in timeouts and he was just so calm, so confi dent and so poised. “But Bryan was the same way.” Randall needed a few more snaps to get into his rhythm. It was easy to understand why: Randall played just a handful of snaps in the preseason last year, making Friday his first significant game action since he start ed for Virginia Tech in the 2005 Sugar Bowl. Randall predictably got better with each of his three drives. He completed one pass on his first drive, scrambled for a 29-yard gain on his second to set up a field goal and went 3-3 passing for 67 yards and a touchdown on his last pos session. “It had been so long, yet I felt like I had just played last week,” Randall said. “I felt confident out there and felt comfortable with the offense.” Shockley played more on instinct. He started two series, missing on both pass attempts in the first. He found his touch in the two I can fit into that system. Even if he’s not ready to anoit himself as the next Blue just yet.” “Blue’s on a whole other level,” Banks said. “I’m trying to get to his level. Hitting is just a thing I love to do. I’m trying to get bet ter on my coverage skills, but hitting is what I love to do and I think I can do.” Checking in on two former Dogs: Former Bulldog Josh Johnson, who was booted off the team in the spring of 2005 and spent last season at Georgia Military College, is trying to get things together at Marshall where he is play- hits for the Minnesota Vikings, but Banks is already drawing Blue-like compari sons from coaches and team mates. “Quintin NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM. As a driver for Schneider National we’ll train you in every aspect of the job. • Company-provided CDL training for qualified candidates • 533.500-56C.500 :;cieiM!r ; tfeig .;,r. axpenenca; • Low-cost medical and dental insurance TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2006 ♦ with Hail of Fame Racing about a partnership for the future. Gordon is an inde pendent operation without any ties to another team. So is Hall of Fame Racing, which includes car own ers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. By working together, the teams could share testing and techni cal information. Sources said Gordon also has talked with Yates about the same deal ... Geoffrey Bodine, who grew up 15 minutes away in Chemung, was at Watkins Glen showing off a new bobsled for the U.S. Olympic team. Bodine’s Bo- Djm Bobsleds have won four medals iii previous Olympic Games, tke first medals for the U.S. in bobsledding since 1956. minute drill, though. He overthrew a receiver on his first attempt only to hit on his next two, the first a 10-yarder on third-and seven to prolong the drive. His fourth pass of the drive was a throwaway to avoid a sack. He completed a seven yard throw two plays later. His biggest completion came on a third-and-seven from the Patriots’ 38-yard line with 30 seconds remain ing. He threaded a tight spiral to kevin Youngblood, who ran a post pattern and found a sdam in the defense. That gave Atlanta a first down at the 24-yard line and brought out Koenen for the game-winner. Shockley tried to down play his heroics afterward. He said Randall’s play inspired him and he enjoys the competition. “It only makes you bet ter,” Shdckley said. “I’m trying to win a job, but I’m trying to get better too.” It’s up to Mora and his staff to Ultimately decide which quarterback is bet ter. And the coach is already dreading the decision. ing middle linebacker. “I want the people to know that I’m a changed person,” Johnson told the Charleston (W.Va.) Efeily Mail. “I’m more mature here.” Meanwhile, ex-Bulldogs running back Michael Cooper is the No. 1 run ning back at Missouri State, where he rushed for 151 yards last year after trans ferring from Athens. People Pleasing! (We will delight you!) green derbr t-75 f*it 136* 987-M77 Apply Online at scbneideriobs.com Or call 1-800 44-PRIDE 11-800-447-74331 SCHNEIDER ammmnmKmma non v.tal'v m 3B